In August, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced the awarding of more than $37 million in grants for endangered or threatened species in 20 states throughout the U.S. Riverside County received $4 million in two grants, and other California entities received another $8 million for various land acquisition and management projects. The county’s two…
The effects of the 2013 Mountain Fire continue to threaten the local biosystem even though the flames were extinguished long ago. Last month, Debra Nelson, U.S. Forest Service botanist on the San Jacinto Ranger District, led an expedition into Garner Valley’s Johnson Meadow to help protect native plants from the encroachment and invasion of the…
On June 26, 2015, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approved California’s 2012 Section 303(d) list of impaired waters in three Regional Water Quality Control Boards (the North Coast, the Lahontan and the Colorado River boards). California’s State Water Resource Control Board does the investigation and research. These results are forwarded to the U.S. EPA for…
The commissioners for the Idyllwild Fire Protection District adopted a budget for fiscal year 2015-16 at their Aug. 25 meeting. The adopted budget modifies a preliminary budget approved in June. The major change was increasing revenues by $162,000 to $1.86 million from the original estimate of $1.70 million. The principal reason is the expected reimbursement…
Fire log Idyllwild Fire Station responded to the following calls, Monday to Sunday, Aug. 24 to 30. California • Aug. 29 — Forest, woods or wildland fire. Idyllwild • Aug. 24 — Medical aid, 54000 block of S. Circle Dr. • Aug. 25 — Two public service assistances, 24000 block of Fern Valley Rd. •…
Some 150 residents packed into the Idyllwild Library on Tuesday evening, Sept. 1, to hear about the forecast for an El Niño fall and winter, bound for Southern California.
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 began on both northbound and southbound Highway 371 from Highway 74 to Kirby Road Monday, Aug. 31, and continues from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Thursday, Sept….
Diana “De” Eskew easily won election to a full-term as director of the Pine Cove Water District. She garnered 176 votes or 46.1 percent of the total. She was the choice of 80 percent of the district’s voters. “That makes me feel really good,” she said, when told of the results. Fellow Director Tim Lange,…
The vote totals for the Idyllwild Water District election are now official and final. The district’s constituents signaled it’s time for a change, easily choosing both challengers and ending the tenure of two of the three incumbents seeking re-election. Far in front was challenger Steven Kunkle, former IWD employee, with 267 votes or 32.9 percent…
Wednesday, Aug. 26, was a bad day on Hill roads with five collisions that produced four injuries, two of them serious. In Idyllwild, in Strawberry Valley Shopping Center, Jonathan Atchinson, 36, of Banning, driving a county vehicle, a 2005 Ford Taurus, backed out of a parking spot in front of the Idyllwild Library striking Idyllwild…
