At 4:08 p.m. Tuesday, U.S. Forest Service firefighters were dispatched to a vegetation fire off of Highway 74 in the Santa Rosa area. The fire’s size was 10-feet-by-10-feet. Two engines were kept on scene to handle the spot and all other resources were canceled. Forest Service crews also responded to a small vegetation fire at…
Last week’s story told of Idyllwild Fire considering mortgaging the people’s fire house to not only pay for two ambulances and station improvement projects, but increasing salaries and benefits. Building reserves within a budget to deal with emergencies, such as the brush truck’s engine failure, seems wise. But spending $90,000 on what appeared to be…
By JP Crumrine News Editor Cal Trans has announced plans for road work and maintenance over the next two weeks. This work will result in some lane closures and cautious driving. Paving will take place on both northbound and southbound Highway 371 from Highway 74 to Kirby Road, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.,…
I question whether Idyllwild Water District is truly serving, as well as accommodating, its customers. For the past six years, it has attempted to gain access to a well it drilled on Pine Crest private property — property that foreclosed after the well was drilled. Why IWD did not obtain an easement before it drilled…
An indication that Jazz in the Pines succeeded in its 22nd year was the Sunday headliner attendance, because not everyone attends both days and most who attend only one day just attend Saturday. So, what a thrill I experienced seeing the lumps of grass hardly able to hold a seated person in front of my…
The candidates’ forums contain elements of surprise — surprise about the questions from the audience, surprise about candidates’ answers and surprise from critics who don’t like the rules or the outcome. Both Idyllwild and Pine Cove water districts’ forums included all of the above. My job primarily was to introduce moderator, time answers and field…
THURSDAY 8:59 a.m. UPDATE: Updated mapping shows the Anza Fire at 450 acres and now 80 percent contained. WEDNESDAY 10:30 a.m. UPDATE: Updated mapping shows the Anza Fire at 450 acres and still 50 percent contained. TUESDAY 5:37 p.m. UPDATE: Incident Command now officially estimates the containment of the Anza fire at 50 percent. 2:20…
At 11:42 a.m. Monday, California Highway Patrol reported a motor home with smoke coming out of its engine 3 miles east of Highway 371 on the roadside of Highway 74. U.S. Forest Service and Cal Fire engines and personnel were dispatched about noon and arrived on scene to a vegetation fire about a quarter of…
Last week, Jack and I visited Monterey for the California Newspaper Publishers Association’s quarterly meeting. He and I serve on a committee and I serve on two boards, chairing one. After Friday’s meetings, we spent the weekend exploring, whale watching from our inn and eating incredible meals of fresh and luscious seafood, such as sand…
