On Saturday, April 12, hikers, trail angels, and friends and family of Robert Budinski filled the main room at Silver Pines Lodge. Robert, who was known by his trail name “Ambassador,” passed away in April of 2024 while hiking on the north flank of San Jacinto peak. Members of Budinski’s family flew out to participate…
Julie Roy is one of Idyllwild’s “super-volunteers,” always finding new ways to contribute to our community through its many nonprofit organizations. At the April meeting of the Idyllwild Garden Club, where she serves as membership coordinator and is the immediate past president, she was gave a talk about gardening in raised beds. At last month’s…
Idyllwild will soon welcome a new artisan bakery: Almost Heaven. Gabrielle and Richard Marcin, who have been supplying stores in Alpine with artisan baked goods for the last year, will begin hosting “pop-up” bake sales in the parking lot and until their new space in Victorian Square starting this Saturday, April 12—a preview of what’s…
Highway 74 between Mountain Center and Hemet was closed for several hours on Friday morning, April 4, due to a head-on collision west of the Strawberry Creek bridge. Johnathon Torres of the CHP provided these details: The crash occurred just after 10 a.m., three miles west of Gaugh Road, MM 53. A westbound 2021 Subaru…
Reba Coulter got a nice surprise when she found out she had been named Riverside County 4th District Woman of the Year. “I didn’t know such a thing existed, I was totally shocked.” Coulter explains that each of the five supervisors nominated a candidate, and she was Supervisor V. Manuel Perez’s choice. The awards are…
Mountain Community Fire Safe Council (MCFSC), the nonprofit organization that helps local property-owners plan and pay for home fire abatement, was among the stakeholders reporting at the March meeting of the Mountain Area Safety Taskforce. Executive Director Callie Squires provided an update on older grants that are wrapping up, and new grants and applications. MCFSC’s…
The March 12 Mountain Area Safety Taskforce (MAST) meeting included a report from Riverside County Sheriff’s Office (RSO) on their activities in local mountain communities. Sergeant Frank James, one of two supervisors for the mountain communities, said that there are always two deputies on duty, with a supervisor present during the day shift. There is…
The Art Alliance of Idyllwild held its annual Mingle and Meeting at Town Hall on Saturday March 22. The hall was full of members and friends who enjoyed food and drink, and live music, while getting to know each other. Board President and event chair Hayleigh Lavy announced awards including Artist of the Year, Sharye…
Pine Cove Water District’s Board of Directors has approved the purchase of the lot on Franklin and Highway 243 adjacent to their Foster Lake works. Office Manager Jennifer Hayes, in an email to the Town Crier, wrote: “On Wednesday, March 19, 2024 the Pine Cove Water District Board of Directors entered into a Closed Session…
At the March MAST meeting Idyllwild Fire Battalion Chief James LaMont reported that IFPD is fully staffed, and had prepositioned engines for the storms predicted for that week. Normal daily staffing includes eight people and a hand crew that is on call. They have eight engines and four ambulances. They are partnering with the USFS…
