Two years and 365 days after the July 15, 2013, start of the Mountain Fire that destroyed several Hill homes and structures, and evacuated thousands of residents, the federal government has sued Tarek M. Al-Shawaf, and James and Donna Nowlin of Mountain Center for in excess of $24 million in damages. The suit was filed…
The application of the Adventure Pass to recreation-fee sites will begin later this summer after the U.S. Forest Service and the plaintiffs in two lawsuits about the controversial fee for using various sites in the four Southern California national forests have settled. On May 19, the parties reached agreement and the U.S. District Court granted…
Fire log The Idyllwild Fire Station responded to the following calls Sunday to Saturday, July 3 to 9. Idyllwild • July 3 — Water or steam leak, Crestview Dr. • July 3 — Walk-in medical aid. • July 4 — Two medical aids, N. Circle Dr. • July 4 — Medical aid, Ridgeview Dr. •…
The rain season ended June 30, and for the fifth consecutive year, rainfall was below the historical level. The total rainfall recorded at the U.S. Forest Service’s Keenwild Ranger Station was 21.27 inches, which is 82 percent of the long-term average of 25.67 inches. In Idyllwild and Pine Cove, slightly more than 25 inches, or…
At its July 12 meeting, the Riverside County Board of Supervisors addressed two separate topics affecting local fire management. Tax advance The Idyllwild Fire Protection District’s request for a $400,000 advance of its share of property tax revenue will be on the agenda. IFPD has made these requests before and the board has not objected….
The California Department of Transportation began work this week on a Highway 371 left-turn lane project. The work will be from 0.2 miles west of Bahrman Road to 0.03 miles west of Bailiff Road. The project will construct left-turn lanes for both directions of travel on Highway 371. The $520,000 project, awarded to All American…
The prosecution of Traci Farley, 52, of Pinyon, who was charged with 13 counts of arson last week, has been suspended. Judge Mark Mandio has requested the medical reports of Farley’s mental competence before proceeding with the further court actions. At the July 8 felony settlement conference, Mandio heard a motion from the public defender,…
A steady diet of lizards may explain why the Southern Pacific rattlesnake species in this area has such a highly toxic venom, said a local expert. Dr. William Hayes, professor of biology at Loma Linda University, said research in the San Jacinto, San Gabriel and San Bernardino mountains show that the snake’s venom is unusually…
Vandals shot out car windows in multiple locations over a two-day period on Saturday, July 9, and Sunday, July 10. Although reports are still incomplete, Riverside County Sheriff’s Department Hemet Station received information that damage took place in 15 different locations, including neighborhoods in and around Lake Lane, Idyllbrook Drive, Toll Gate Road, Middle Ridge…
Nearly two years after terminating former Capt. James Reyes and nearly four months since an administrative law judge recommended reversing that action, the Idyllwild Fire Protection District’s commissioners decided to uphold Reyes’ dismissal and rejected his appeal. While the commission hopes that case has ended, Reyes’ Riverside County Superior Court case against IFPD has a…
