As of Thursday, June 19, U.S. Forest Service officials are increasing fire use restrictions on the San Bernardino National Forest because the summer weather is beginning to raise the seasonal fire danger. As if serving as an omen, a small fire ignited near the Cranston Ranger Station in Valle Vista the day tighter restrictions were…
The Idyllwild Fire Protection District commission met Tuesday afternoon, June 24, in a special session. The commission acknowledged receipt of the most recent grand jury report and held a closed session to consider the possible discipline, dismissal or release of an employee or employees. The individual or individuals were not identified. When asked if any…
At their June 20 meeting, Fern Valley Water directors unanimously declared a water shortage emergency. The board adopted Resolution 543, spelling out its process for declaring a water shortage, defining the four stages and implementing the stages. Fern Valley General Manager Steve Erler followed the resolution adoption with a declaration of Stage 1 Water Shortage…
Another grand jury report this year, directed at the behavior and operation of Idyllwild Fire Protection District employees, was issued Thursday, June 19. This is the second report focused on IFPD from the 2013-14 grand jury and the fifth since 2008. This report investigated three topics — the behavior of the administrative captain, Mark LaMont,…
Idyllwild Water District directors approved a preliminary 2014-15 budget, which includes a 6-percent water and sewer rate increase, originally approved in June 2010, and applied to the budget annually for five years since. The board also set a public hearing for Aug. 20 to discuss other changes to water fees. A board workshop to discuss…
The Pine Cove Water District budget for fiscal year 2014-15, which starts July 1, will be $800,000, which is $25,000 or 3 percent lower than the current-year budget. And the budget the directors adopted last week was about $11,000 lower than the preliminary budget presented at the May meeting. An uncertainty of whether Sprint would…
Last week, a Los Angeles County judge ruled that the state laws on teacher tenure and seniority were unconstitutional. However, he suspended any enforcement to provide for the expected appeal of his decision (Vergara v. State of California). Judge Rolf M. Treu found that the statutes on granting teachers tenure after two years, the dismissal…
The Idyllwild Fire Department’s preliminary 2014-15 budget was adopted last week with the $1.8-million budget projection about $65,000 more than the 2013-14 adopted budget. Fire Chief Patrick Reitz and Commissioner Nancy Layton, chair of the Finance Committee, said they will continue to review and adjust the 2014-15 budget until a final version is adopted in…
A Grand Jury report, with the Idyllwild Fire Protection District as the subject, was issued Thursday, June 19. This is the second report focused on IFPD from the 2013-14 Grand Jury and the fifth since 2008. This report investigated three topics — the behavior of the Department’s Administrative Captain, Mark LaMont, nonfeasance of the Fire…
After four years, Riverside County is proposing to raise the fees for the residential collection centers in Idyllwild, Anza and Pinyon. At its June 17 meeting, the Board of Supervisors was to set a public hearing on these increases for later this summer. The new fee, $122.74 annually, is a $5.85 increase from the fee…
