Grants available to help remove dead and dying trees The Sept. 11, Mountain Area Safety Taskforce (MAST) meeting was sparsely attended. No law enforcement officials and only a few fire managers were present. Those in attendance discussed current and prospective fire protection projects and forest health. Grants Kat Wilson, executive director of the Mountain Communities…
While Rose Venard and her husband, Rocky, only moved to Pine Cove as full-time residents in August 2018, they have owned a cabin in Pine Cove since 2013. Venard has been coming to Idyllwild since the early 1980s. For years, she visited a high school friend who lived up here. She says she fell in…
Southern California may experience fires into December Summer 2019 has been a very light fire season, thus far. Both the U.S. Forest Service’s National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) in Boise, Idaho and Cal Fire’s Predictive Services unit at its Southern Operations Center expect a return to a normal fire season in September and October. They…
Funds allocated for 22nd-annual Art Walk and Wine Tasting Art Alliance of Idyllwild will receive $1,000 from Riverside County Third District Supervisor Chuck Washington for its annual Art Walk and Wine Tasting event in October. In his recommendation to his colleagues, Washington wrote, “The funding will be utilized to support the 22nd-annual Art Walk to…
Jim Gates is the newest director at the Fern Valley Water District (FVWD). He was appointed on June 3 and fills the second year of former Director George Rowell’s term. Rowell resigned in April after moving out of state. He was appointed in 2018. Only Gates filed papers to run in the August election for…
Congressman Raul Ruiz may face Raul Ruiz in 2020 Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-Palm Desert, has two opponents tentatively planning to challenge him in the November 2020 election for California’s 36th district seat for the U.S. House of Representatives. Ruiz will be seeking his fifth term. Initially, Republican Jesse Fallon Glick was the only opponent. However,…
Agrees to stay away from Pine Cove On Aug. 6, Scott Shere, of Pine Cove, pleaded guilty to two felony counts. He pleaded guilty to both issuing criminal death threats and sending a threatening letter with the intent to extort money. Two other charges were dismissed as part of the plea agreement. When Shere was…
With three of the five commissioners present, the Idyllwild Fire Protection District (IFPD) Commission held a succinct meeting Tuesday, Aug. 27. Fire Chief Mark LaMont addressed several recent public concerns about the possibility of a fire coming into town from the north and preparation for potential evacuations. Modeling fire behavior has been a tool for…
National Dogs in Politics Day is Sept. 23 and PETCO will direct attention to Idyllwild’s Mayor Max. Blake Del Hoya, of PETCO, came to Idyllwild Monday, Sept. 9 to interview and prepare a video of the mayor, his deputies and his staff, Phyllis Mueller and Glenn Warren. The video will be released on PETCO’s Instagram…
Will Steichen is the new director of parks and recreation for the Idyllwild Community Center (ICC). The ICC board appointed Steichen at the end of August and he assumed his new position on Sept. 2. His career and experiences bring a fresh approach to the purpose of the ICC recreation programs. He will continue the…
