The recent flurry of rain and snowstorms have not yet made a significant addition to the Hill’s water supply. Consequently, the drought is expected to enter its fourth-consecutive year. But the month of February did bring a milestone — the warmest February recorded. According to the National Weather Service, Idyllwild’s average temperature in February was…
Last week, George Tate reported 9.5 inches of snow in Pine Cove. But far more fell higher up the mountain. Two intrepid mountaineers — Lee Arnson and Jon King — trudged through and on nearly 2 feet of snow in Saddle Junction. Arnson, who has done a snow survey for 18 years, measured 24 inches…
Idyllwild School students gather in front of the “California Distinguished School” sign to celebrate their hard work and achievements Friday morning. The California Distinguished School program honors some of California’s most exemplary and inspiring public schools. Schools selected for the Distinguished School Award demonstrate significant gains in narrowing the achievement gap. This is the third time Idyllwild has received this honor.
In response to increased crashes and fatalities on highways 74 and 243, the California Highway Patrol is seeking funding and intergovernmental agency cooperation to designate those highways as State Safety Corridors. CHP Public Information Officer Darren Meyer said his agency has begun the process to classify the two mountain highways as SSCs. Terri Kasinga, Caltrans…
The traditional late August special district election of fire commissioners may change in a few years. Idyllwild Fire Protection District President Jerry Buchanan asked his colleagues to consider a proposal to shift IFPD’s future elections to November general election ballots. “It would give a better opportunity for more people to vote,” Buchanan said. “August is…
Stage 3 water emergency is imminent depending upon how much rain and snow arrived last weekend, according to Idyllwild Water General Manager Tom Lynch. “We are in Stage 2. However, we meet the criteria level for Stage 3,” Lynch told IWD directors last week. “We are evaluating day-to-day.” Two important criteria for declaring Stage 3…
In my adult life, I’ve been a vegetarian, a vegan and an omnivore. Right now, I’m an omnivore because I feel healthier, but if you’re not, you might not want to read further. Asking Jack, “What are you doing this weekend?” draws the most depressed reaction, he being so certain a task is forthcoming. I…
I love the thoughtful reflections published in the Town Crier. I greatly appreciated Bryan Asch’s “Human Etiquette” column (Jan. 29, 2015) and last year’s interview of the enthusiastic young scientist who followed his passion and became an astronomer, specializing in cosmology. But Conor O’Farrell’s “Love is Active” meditation (Feb. 19, 2015) was so great and…
By Chris Kramer MCFSC President With the recent election of officers on the Mountain Communities Fire Safe Council, I’d like to introduce myself as the new president. I plan to keep our message going in the same positive direction that past president Mike Esnard did with this column. I also will ask other board members…
Some 32 summer camps have now been documented in the Idyllwild area since 1920. But Idyllwild Institute-Fiesta stands out for its oddly nondescript name. This was a program to cultivate leadership and patriotism in high school girls enrolled in the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps. Given the tendency of JROTC to attract disproportionate numbers of…
