Last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced his May revision for the comingfiscal year (FY) budget. For FY 2024-25, beginning July 1, Newsom’srevised total expenditures, including federal, special and bond funds,will be nearly $288 billion, of which $201 billion will be for theGeneral Fund accounts. This is about $25 billion less than available forthe current FY,…
Thursday, May 9, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC)unanimously approved a change in how large investor-owned utilities maybill for electricity in California. In late 2025, electric bills will be the total of a fixed or flat rateand a usage charge. Current bills are based on usage alone. The changeintroduces the separation of the electric bill…
The Fern Valley Water District (FVWD) Planning Committee, composed ofBoard Chair Jon Brown and Director Kevin Scott, met May 9 to develop thecapital improvement plan (CIP) for the draft fiscal year (FY) 2024-25budget. This will be submitted to both the Budget Committee May 13 andto the board of directors at its regular meeting May 16….
Nathan Masters is a recent Idyllwild transplant. He and his wife KseniyaMelnik are both writers. Master’s just won the Mystery Writers ofAmerica Edgar Allan Poe Award for “Fact Crime” for his first book,Crooked:The Roaring ’20s Tale of a Corrupt Attorney General, a CrusadingSenator, and the Birth of the American Political Scandal. The book isnon-fiction, but…
Pine Cove Water District’s May 8 meeting focused largely on the draftbudget, as the financial year draws to a close. The new budget totalsonly about 2% more than last year, well below the rate of inflation,currently around 3.5%. General Manager Jeremy Potter reported that the district’s static wellrose 4.4 feet to 74.5 feet, and is…
Last week, the state’s Department of Water Resources (DWR) announcedthat the state’s groundwater supplies were improving. Although moregroundwater is needed, the rain year 2023, which was October 2022through September 2023, resulted in significant increases in the state’sgroundwater inventory. Many of California’s urban areas rely on surface water, such as theColorado River project transferring water to…
Saturday was “May the 4th Be With You” day at the Rustic Theatre. “StarWars” fans from near and far congregated for showings of “PhantomMenace” and the original trilogy. A “Star Wars” trivia contest was heldon the patio with Luke Byers. Steve Shelala of Ace Comix brought thecollectibles, and a Mandalorian was available for photo ops….
Dyani Brunner moved to Idyllwild in 2021 and opened up shop as abookseller in February 2022. She called that first shop Speakeasybecause of its hidden-away location next to Oakwood Village. Speakeasy,along with partner enterprise Bookmarket, moved into their present spacein the Collective as soon as it opened last year. “Given our size, it surprises people…
Volunteers from many local groups gathered at the headquarters of AnimalRescue Friends of Idyllwild (ARF) Friday, May 3, to help out with theorganization’s new Wind Chime Garden. The garden will be a place whereanimal lovers can hang a wind chime as a memorial for departed pets, andplaques will honor donors. ARF staff were joined by,…
