At the march meeting of the Mountain Area Safety Taskforce, Reba Coulter, founder of Idyllwild’s Forest Folk Shuttle service, asked about evacuation plans for residents who have mobility challenges or do not have a car. Sgt. Frank James, of the Riverside Sheriff’s Office, spoke of the protocols developed to evacuate summer camps, where many young…
Idyllwild Fire Protection District Chief Mark LaMont told the District’s commissioners at their March 25 meeting that funding has been “paused” for the largest grant IPFD has ever received, last year’s nearly-$940 thousand CalFire Wildfire Prevention Grant. In a phone interview, LaMont clarified that IFPD has received their “release of funds notification” letter for that…
Hector Cardenas is the new proprietor of the Green Thing Nursery. Locals may know him for his spoken word performances and his efforts to provide a platform for poets with the Idyllwild Poetry Society. But he also has experience in the nursery business. His uncle George owned a production nursery in Bonsall, and as a…
The Rotary Club of Idyllwild is all-in on fire prevention with their latest project, “Great Abate.” Designed to enhance fire safety in the community, the initiative targets residents who cannot clear hazardous overgrowth around their properties due to circumstances like age, disability, or financial hardship. Rotarian Ygnacio “Nacho” Garcia, also a field supervisor for the…
Recently retired State Park Ranger Robert Peek visited the Idyllwild Library on Tuesday, April 8, to discuss his memoir, Grandpa Ranger. Peek talked of the process that aspiring rangers must undergo to become law enforcement officers and the challenges he faced as the oldest applicant in his class. He became a ranger at 53. Peek…
Have you noticed the barrels of flowers around town—in front of Town Hall and at the welcome sign on 243? What about the hanging baskets in front of the new restrooms? Who keeps up the gardens at the Historical Society and the pollinator garden at the Nature Center? The answer to all these questions is…
The future of electric power vehicles appears clouded. Although California’s current air resource policies call for prohibiting the sale of new gas-powered vehicles in 2035 or later, over the next 10 years, the percentage of new gas-powered vehicles sold in the State must gradually decline to zero in 2035. A recent Gallop poll found that…
Several earthquakes shook Idyllwild on the morning of Monday, April 14. The USGS reported a magnitude 5.2 quake 4km south of Julian at 10:08 a.m. The largest after shock was M3 in the same location at 10:13. Another magnitude 3.5 quake was reported 7km east-southeast of Borrego Springs around the same time. Between the two…
The 2024 Congressional Election ended only five months ago. Yet news about 2026 candidates for California’s Congressional District 41 seat (including all the Hill communities) was announced last week. Incumbent Congressman Ken Calvert said he has already raised $1.3 million for the 2026 race. In 2024, when he defeated Democrat Will Rollins for the second…
On Saturday, April 12, hikers, trail angels, and friends and family of Robert Budinski filled the main room at Silver Pines Lodge. Robert, who was known by his trail name “Ambassador,” passed away in April of 2024 while hiking on the north flank of San Jacinto peak. Members of Budinski’s family flew out to participate…
