Last week’s story about the plans for Phase 1 of the Butterfield Commons at Strawberry Creek did not clarify the future availability of the pickleball courts. Currently, these are located on the surface of an old tennis court and just in front of the playground area. When construction begins, access to the pickleball courts, just…
The San Bernardino Flying Squirrel is neither endangered nor threatened, the U.S. Fish Wildlife Service announced last week. In response to a petition from the Center for Biological Diversity in 2010 and legal action to spur a response in 2014, the FWS did an extensive review of the Southern California mountains to determine the squirrel’s…
On April 7, Ira Robert Ellis, 37, of Poppet Flats admitted a felony violation of his Post-Release Community Supervision in Riverside County Superior Court. Hearing Officer Judith M. Fouladi then reinstated his PRCS with the modification that Ellis is sentenced to 88 days in the county jail. On Tuesday, April 19, at 8:30 a.m. in…
Eutiquio Ramirez, 48, of Indio, a well-regarded and longtime employee of Griner Construction in Idyllwild, died in a single-vehicle crash reported at 5:42 p.m. Friday, April 8. According to the California Highway Patrol report, Ramirez was driving his white Toyota T100 pickup truck east on Highway 74, when for unknown reasons he veered to the…
The natural gas leak at the Aliso Canyon underground storage facility may affect Hill residents this summer. Reduced availability of natural gas may create power outages during peak days this summer. The California Energy Commission and three other public agencies released a report last week and held a public workshop Friday to address how the…
Despite rain showers and clouds for most of the past five days, the dreaded El Niño has not drenched the Hill. The rain that has fallen since Thursday is barely half of the historic April showers on the Hill. Pine Cove has recorded 1.56 inches this week, while the Keenwild Ranger Station has recorded 1.46…
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office received a call at about 10:45 a.m. Sunday from some hikers who saw a body along Highway 74. Shortly after, the California Highway Patrol also was called. The body of a female was found, and her decomposition had proceeded such that her race was not identifiable from observation. The Department’s…
Beginning Sunday, April 10, Cal Fire in cooperation with California State Parks will be conducting a prescribed burn in the Mount San Jacinto State Park. The burn consisting of brush and slash piles will be above Thousand Trails Park in Pine Cove. The project will continue throughout the week, weather permitting. The final burn date…
Nasir David Powell’s felony settlement conference, set for April 6, was rescheduled for April 26, again at 8:30 a.m. in Department S204, Murrieta. It was the second time his FSC has been continued. Powell, 18, is charged with five felony counts involving various sexual activities with minors ranging in age from 14 to 17 years…
Cal Fire/Riverside County firefighters responded to a report of a vehicle over the side on Highway 74 in the area of Bee Canyon Road at about 11:30 p.m. Thursday. Firefighters, along with California Highway Patrol, scoured the area attempting to locate the vehicle. About one-a-half hours after the initial report, firefighters located the vehicle about…
