Prescribed burning operations in the San Jacinto Ranger District of the San Bernardino National Forest will begin in the next few week, according to a U.S. Forest Service release. Firefighters will be burning slash and debris piles adjacent to Forest Service fire stations. Signs will be posted along the roadways to alert passersby to the…
Water usage during the September and October period at Fern Valley Water District was 1.1 million gallons less than the same two months in 2014. For the year, Fern Valley customers have reduced consumption nearly 3.5 million gallons compared to the first 10 months of 2014. The October savings was about 16 percent and for…
While the business conducted at the Idyllwild Water District’s Nov. 18 meeting carries several projects forward into the future, the board also took time to salute two directors whose terms are ending. Warren Monroe, first elected in August 2003, and Dean Lattin, appointed in 2013, completed their service. New directors Steve Kunkle and June Rockwell…
Gender-based violence is the concern of a new group on the Hill and the subject of a public event Tuesday, Dec. 1. Callie Wight, a member of the group, says its formation was not a reaction to incidents on the Hill and stressed that children who live here from high school to later, spend considerable…
Two traffic incidents, one with serious injuries, marred Hill roads over the last week. According to California Highway Patrol Officer Ben Bolon, the first occurred at 2:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 20, when Gia Hongbin, 19, of Corona, was driving a 2015 white Mercedes sedan southbound on Highway 243 near lower Saunders Meadow Road when…
Although its contract accountant could not produce the financial reports for October, the Idyllwild Fire Protection District Finance Committee did review some reports that had data through September, the first quarter of the fiscal year. Again this month, Committee Chair and Commissioner Nancy Layton expressed disappointment with the presentation of the financial data available. According…
With all the warnings that the approaching El Niño weather pattern and its accompanying rains will be greater than the 1997-98 rainfall, the Riverside County Board of Supervisors has already adopted a proclamation of local emergency. Emergency Management Department Director Kim Saruwatari made the unusual request. In her memorandum to the board, she said El…
In July 2013, the Mountain Fire burned more than 26,000 acres with both the fire and the immediate rainstorm destroying miles of the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail. Almost 15 miles from Garner Valley near Paradise Corner to Saddle Junction had to be closed for safety reasons. Much of this trail remains closed. For the…
Short-term rentals within Riverside County are becoming more popular and now are within the purview of the Board of Supervisors. The subject was on the agenda of the board’s Nov. 17 meeting because supervisors John Benoit (4th District) and Chuck Washington (3rd District) proposed an ordinance (927) to regulate this burgeoning industry. While the Coachella…
Gov. Jerry Brown issued his second executive order last Friday regarding water conservation this year. Last April, the governor’s first order mandated a 25-percent reduction in water use throughout the state. The Nov. 13 order authorizes the State Water Resources Control Board to extend the water reductions through October 2016 if drought conditions persist through…
