By JP Crumrine Correspondent For those of you who were really swamped from the winter weather emergencies or preparing your state and federal taxes last week thinking the deadline was Oct. 16, it is now Thursday, Nov. 16. Yes, at the last minute, both the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the state Franchise Tax Board…
By JP CrumrineCorrespondent Before the forecast, just a recognition that it was warm, actually very hot, on the Hill last week. The National Weather Service (NWS) reported that the temperature reached 88 degrees in Idyllwild Oct. 18. That is 3 degrees higher than the previous high of 85 degrees recorded in 2003. As this week…
By David Jerome Correspondent Fern Valley Water District (FVWD) President Gary Erb presented his letter of resignation at the board meeting last Thursday. With escrow near complete on his home and business, the Fern Valley Inn, he is no longer eligible. “We are looking forward to retirement and have found suitable residence in Palm Desert….
By JP Crumrine Correspondent In 1959, fentanyl was created as an anesthesia for use in operating rooms and later as a painkiller. However, it is entirely synthetic and evolved into an addictive drug, becoming the leading cause of death in the United States. Fentanyl is an opioid and for medicinal use is classified as a…
Tuesday, Nov. 7, the Riverside County Board of Supervisors will consider revisions to Ordinance 927.1, “Regulating Short Term Rentals” (STR). The proposed new Ordinance 927.2 is available on the Town Crier website at https://idyllwildtowncrier.com/2023/10/23/proposed-str-ordinance/. The Planning Commission approved major changes to the STR ordinance at its Aug. 23 meeting. Many of the changes involved enforcement…
The past two weeks, Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed several bills that will dramatically alter how the state treats mental health conditions and problems. The effort to improve treatment of mental health is also intended to help reduce homelessness throughout California. Newsom’s efforts to address the growing problem began in September 2022 and will continue…
Last week, Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin supported Gov. Gavin Newsom’s action to sign Senate Bill (SB) 46 into law. This new law requires individuals convicted of a controlled substance offense to complete a treatment or education program. Current law does not require treatment or education. It was dependent on availability as well as…
Pine Cove Water District (PCWD) is expanding its acreage by 18 acres. The purchase of Riverside County Regional Park and Open Space District (POSD) land in Pine Cove is finally coming to completion. The board of supervisors approved the sale at its Oct. 17 meeting during its function as the board for the (POSD), which…
Living in or near a national forest or just forested land can create concerns about the danger of wildfires. State and federal fire leaders have for years used “prescribed” or “controlled” burns to reduce or mitigate the threat of potentially damaging wildfires. However, the efficacy of prescribed burns is not unlimited. First, they are difficult…
Former Riverside County Registrar of Voters (ROV) Rebecca Spencer resigned Sept. 29 after being placed on paid administrative leave from her position at the Sept. 12 board of supervisors’ meeting. In the announcement of Spencer’s resignation, the county said, it had “… entered into a settlement agreement whereby the parties mutually agree that this action…
