Short-term rentals (STR) will be the topic of a community meeting from 5 to 7 p.m., Monday, May 1, at Town Hall. Riverside County Supervisor V. Manuel Perez wants to hear more from the Hill communities about this issue and invites those interested in sharing their opinion to come and participate. As he promised in…
The outlook for the 2023 summer fire season has benefited greatly from the wet and snowy winter. None of the major fire units are currently predicting a serious and dangerous fire season for Southern California. Fire will always be a threat; but this year, particularly during spring, the likelihood of a major fire is significantly…
On March 18, the San Bernardino National Forest (SBNF) announced the closing of most of its internal Forest System Roads. The closures would expire June 30 and were the result of … “Significant winter storms in February and March 2023 [that] have resulted in extreme snowfall on the higher elevation terrain of the forest and…
During March 2023, the Hill has experienced a very consistent weather pattern. Rainstorms, of varying strength, arrived Monday or Tuesday and moved east by Wednesday night or Thursday morning. The last week of March was no different, but this pattern may be changing, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). As of April 1 (no…
The Mountain Communities Fire Safe Council (MCFSC) has access to nearly $2 million of federal funding to help harden homes, to make a home more resilient to potential wildfire damage. But the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) needs to approve the projects by May 31. Approval includes an MCFSC inspection and three bids from approved…
For the first time since 2015, when Riverside County awarded the emergency ambulance service contract to American Medical Response (AMR), the county’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Agency has denied AMR’s request to extend the contract’s expiration date. Each year, AMR submits an annual report that EMS uses to review compliance with the contract and whether…
Thomas Mountain Mutual Water Association (TMMWA), in Garner Valley, and the Lake Hemet Municipal Water District (LHMWD) are working with the Small Community Technical Assistance of the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) to evaluate the merits of a possible consolidation. The technical assistance review will require at least a year or more, according to…
“In like a lion and out like a lamb” is the common adage describing March weather, but in 2023 the lamb version has remained hidden. Another atmospheric river passed over the Hill last week bringing strong winds as well as wet weather. More than a dozen have moved over California this winter and, at least…
The discussion, debate and controversy over short-term rentals (STRs), especially in the Idyllwild and Pine Cove neighborhoods and the Wine Country, continues and will resurface this fall. Riverside County’s contractor, Deckard Technologies of San Diego, began sending letters to owners and managers of STRs throughout the county. That was just the beginning of efforts to…
The Riverside County Emergency Management Department (EMD) wants to know whether your home or business was damaged due to any of the 2023 storms. If your home or business was damaged or incurred losses during recent storms, visit https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/587b6684c0dd430e83a5f5f380368941. This is an online form where you can describe the damages, the type of damage, repair…
