Idyllwild News

Earlier this month, the Natural Resources Conservation Service announced a multi-year partnership with the U.S. Forest Service to improve forest health and reduce fire threats to communities and landowners on and near several national forests. The San Bernardino National Forest is one of two California projects to receive funding. The other is the Middle Klamath…

In Loving Memory of Issac Philip Bloom: If I could have a lifetime wish, a dream that would come true. I’d pray to God with all of my heart for yesterday and you. A thousand words can’t bring you back; I know because I have tried. And neither can a million tears; I know because…

At last week’s meeting, the Idyllwild Fire Protection District Commission rejected all four recommendations in a recent Riverside County Grand Jury report. The first recommendation was to share Administrative Capt. Mark Lamont’s duties in order to reduce the cost of paid overtime, which exceeded $50,000 in 2012. Fire Chief Patrick Reitz drafted the proposed response,…

On Wednesday, Feb. 12, two events occurred relating to the 2006 triple homicide in Pinyon Pines. The more dramatic event was a press release from Bonnie Garcia, former Assemblywoman and candidate for State Senate District 28. Her son, Javier, was a friend of Becky Friedli, one of the three victims and he allegedly called a…

Idyllwild Fire Protection District’s Finance Committee held its first meeting Monday, Feb. 17. Fire Chief Patrick Reitz introduced the citizen’s committee members to the IFPD budget format, source of revenues and a general description of expenses. They also talked about specific issues for this fiscal year (2013-14) and likely budget questions for the 2014-15 budget…

On Tuesday, Feb. 11, the Riverside County Board of Supervisors decided to renegotiate the county’s current ambulance contract with American Medical Response rather than considering competitive bids for the whole or parts of the county. The current AMR contract expires June 30, 2015. One of the principal reasons was the experience of Alameda, Monterey and…

Wildlife Biologist Tom Paulek and avid birder Rosedith Marx will lead the public on a search of the San Jacinto Wildlife Area for “Birds of Prey,” from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Feb. 22. The Friends of the San Jacinto Valley are sponsoring the free event that hopes to spot some of the 22 species…

Saturday morning, during the U.S. Forest Service’s third bald eagle count of the 2013-14 season, the pair of adult bald eagles was again seen at Lake Hemet. During this count, a grand total of 15 eagles (nine adults and six juveniles) were counted at the lake areas in and near the San Bernardino National Forest….