After deliberating since June 1, a Riverside County jury found a 58-year-old Thermal man guilty of a lesser crime in a case where the defendant was charged with murder in a traffic collision where his baby died on Highway 74 near Mile Post Marker 89. He has been incarcerated in the Robert Presley Detention Center…
Fulfilling his promise during the presentation of the May revision of his fiscal year (FY) 2023-24 budget, Gov. Gavin Newsom unveiled his proposals to reform the permitting and project review process in California. On May 19, one week later, he signed an Executive Order (EO) while touring the site of a future solar farm in…
Living on the Hill and working from home is close to paradise. Living on the Hill and commuting to work on the I-10 or state highways 74 and 79 is not fun and often stressful. Assemblyman Eduardo Garcia (D) has submitted a bill that could help alleviate some of the county’s commuting conundrums. Garner Valley,…
Senate Bill (SB) 584, which has passed the California Senate, would impose a 15% tax on the rental price for a short-term rental (STR). After its passage, Sen. Monique Limón (D-Santa Barbara), who introduced the bill, said in a press release, “The vote today signals the legislative interest in advancing a conversation about what role…
The Idyllwild Water District (IWD) held a pair of “Town Hall” meetings at its boardroom to discuss proposed water and sewer rates on May 30 and 31. The board has voted to approve a five-year plan for rate hikes that could lead to a cumulative 85% increase on sewer bills and a cumulative 27% hike…
Board of Supervisors unanimously approved funding proposals from both the Regional Parks and Open Space District (RPOSD) and the county’s Transportation and Land Management Agency (TLMA). The request from both agencies included projects on the Hill during the next fiscal year (July 2023 through June 2024). Parks RPOSD requested approval to use $11.8 million the…
Wednesday, May 24, Riverside County 4th District Supervisor V. Manuel Perez held his third recent listening session at Town Hall as he and the community become acquainted with each other. It was the second one dedicated to Idyllwild’s short-term rental (STR) situation and the amendment of Ordinance 927.1. As before, Planning Director John Hildebrand and…
By Holly Parsons, aka DispatchCorrespondent For two hours Dispatch waited for Sunflower [trail name] at the base of Devils Slide that fateful night. She learned from lingering hikers that a group of Europeans were camped above and took solace that he was safe and too exhausted to descend despite his call for pick up earlier…
Idyllwild Arts Foundation presents its annual Native American Arts Festival (NAAF) Week at the Idyllwild Arts campus from Sunday to Friday, June 18 to 23. The weeklong event, which has run each summer for over two decades, is designed to enhance and enrich the Idyllwild Arts Summer Program with Native American arts-based programming, including an…
In its May 17 meeting, the Idyllwild Water District’s (IWD) slimmed down board of directors approved two assessment fees, returned the district to a water conservation Stage 1, heard the latest on its building rehabilitation, and announced several special meetings or workshops to be held before the next regular meeting currently planned for June 21….
