By JP Crumrine News Editor Cal Trans has announced plans for road work and maintenance over the next two weeks. This work will result in some lane closures and cautious driving. Paving will take place on both northbound and southbound Highway 371 from Highway 74 to Kirby Road, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.,…
While production at Fern Valley Water District fell nearly 8 percent during the first six months of 2015, General Manager Steve Erler expressed surprise that the level of the district’s wells continues to fall. He reported that the level for all the wells was lower in July. The observational well (outside the office) dropped nearly…
Idyllwild Water District remains in Stage 2 because the May and July rains have helped its wells, General Manager Tom Lynch reported to the directors Wednesday night, Aug. 19. “There is still no water in Foster Lake,” Lynch added. “But the Foster Lake wells are up a bit because of the summer rains.” He also…
Fire log Idyllwild Fire Station responded to the following calls, Monday to Sunday, Aug. 17 to 23. Big Bear Lake • Aug. 23 — Forest, woods or wildland fire, 40000 block of Pennsylvania Ave. Idyllwild • Aug. 17 — Unauthorized burning, 54000 block of Hwy. 243. • Aug. 18 — Dispatched & canceled en…
Two of five squatter camps in Idyllwild, downhill of the bend on Highway 243 leading south out of Idyllwild, are seen in these photos. The camps are on 40 undeveloped acres owned by Charlene Lane. Penelope Smrz, a neighbor immediately adjacent to the 40-acre site, reported the encampments to both the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department…
Jessie Ornelas-Mares splits her time as school counselor between two of the most highly regarded schools in the Hemet Unified School District, Idyllwild School and Cottonwood Elementary. “I feel very honored and privileged to have this opportunity,” said Ornelas-Mares, of serving both distinguished schools as a first-year school counselor. The longtime Hemet resident said she…
Diana “De” Eskew easily won election to a full-term as director of the Pine cove Water District. She garnered 171 votes or 45.8 percent of the total. “That makes me feel really good,” she said when told of the results. Fellow Director Tim Lange, he was appointed in July to fill former board president Mike…
The first vote totals have arrived for the Idyllwild Water District election. Far in front is challenger Steven Kunkle with 249 votes or 33.2 percent. Second place is June Rockwell with 143 votes, but Jim Billman, IWD president, is third, only one vote behind Rockwell. Incumbents Dean Lattin and Warren Monroe are trailing with 120…
Taking out a mortgage on the Idyllwild Fire Station for capital projects — and salaries and benefits — may be in the future of the Idyllwild Fire Protection District. The IFPD Finance Committee discussed the idea at its Wednesday, Aug.19, meeting and decided to explore possible terms — interest rate, length and payments — in…
September is National Preparedness Month, and the Mountain Disaster Preparedness group wants Hill residents to prepare for a significantly wet fall and winter. The National Weather Service has forecast that a major El Niño will arrive this fall and continue to affect local weather through spring 2016. On Thursday, the NWS Climate Prediction Center wrote…
