If you’ve wandered through uptown Idyllwild lately, chances are you’ve already experienced a little of Diana Orr’s influence—even if you didn’t realize it. There’s Wax Apothecary, the botanical candle company she founded over a decade ago. There’s Made in Idyllwild, her Instagram page celebrating local artists and makers. And now there’s Funky Bazaar, the colorful…...
Riverside County’s Planning Department announced in July that it will begin accepting applications for new Short-Term Rental (STR) certificates in the Idyllwild and Wine Country areas in August. Obtaining the certificate is required before advertising to rent any STR. The application process opens Wednesday, Aug. 19 and will close at midnight, Thursday, Sept. 17. This…...
By a voice vote, the United Stats House of Representatives voted to end to production of pennies. H.R. 3074, “The Common Cents Act,” is now with the U.S. Senate. If it becomes law, HR 3074 will officially end the production of one cent coins. The U.S Treasury had already ceased production of pennies at the…...
Georgie Smith is a part-time Idyllwilder whose nonprofit organization, A Sense of Home (ASOH), has gotten a lot of positive attention over the last year, culminating in her inclusion among TIME Magazine’s inaugural Visionaries list. The list honors “change-makers helping children and young people reach their full potential.” The same day that the list came…...
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service have announced additional changes to the current federal regulations implementing the Endangered Species Act (ESA.) The first revision eliminates the “blanket rule” language for initially declared “threatened” species. This provision gave threatened species the same protection as endangered species until a specific…...
Earth and Fire, Idyllwild’s paint-your-own pottery studio, is celebrating 30 years of continuous activity in its location on the second floor of the Fort. Owner Zara Mc Mullen and her daughter Fiona noted that when Summer Brown opened the studio in 1996, it was only the third in the US, after two opened by Color…...
Earlier this month, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Sunshine Protection Act. If the Senate approves it, daylight saving time would be permanent year-round. Adjusting clocks and timepieces to “spring forward” and “fall back” would no longer be necessary. According to many academics, the time changes are not normal and disrupt the body’s natural…...
The Friends of the Idyllwild Library have announced that they recently ordered the 100th new book that they will donate to the library. The Friends, an all-volunteer 501(c)(3), arrange many of the educational and entertaining presentations that the library hosts every weeks, run the self-serve used book store in the library, and purchase books to…...
The first “First Friday” felt like a promising experiment. The second answered a different question: Was it a fluke? Judging by the crowds that filled North Circle Friday evening, the answer appears to be “no.” If the inaugural event introduced the idea, the second suggested something more meaningful may already be taking root. People wandered…...
On June 26, days before the deadline, Gov. Gavin Newsom and the California Legislature agreed to a State budget for Fiscal Year 2026-27. Newsom signed the budget bill on Monday, June 29. This is his last budget. “California’s 2026-27 state budget is delivering a balanced spending plan with zero deficit that protects Californians while maintaining…...
