Cal Fire is reporting that on Thursday, March 8, 2018, Stephen Patrick Medlock, 53, was arrested in San Bernardino County on a warrant obtained by Cal Fire investigators in connection with an investigation into the cause of the 2013 Silver Fire. Medlock, a transient, was arrested on the outstanding warrant by the San Bernardino County…
The Riverside County Board of Supervisors took another step forward in its path to create a Community Choice Aggregation program, in which the county could provide electricity. In 2002, the Legislature passed legislation authorizing local governments to procure or develop electrical power for themselves, or their residents and businesses. In November, the supervisors passed Ordinance…
The U.S. Congress was much more sympathetic to the U.S. Forest Service’s funding needs and requests than the Trump administration’s revised fiscal year 2017-18 budget submission. Excluding wildfire funding, Congress appropriated $3.1 billion for the agency. This was nearly $625 million more than the prior-year funding and about $830 million more than President Donald Trump…
Borrowing of program funding ends The federal Omnibus 2018 funding bill also included changes to the way the funding for wildfire suppression will be made in the future. Currently, when suppression costs exceed Congress’ appropriated funding, the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management must “borrow” funds from other programs, such as recreation…
Editor’s note: This is from a U.S. Forest Service press release. The U.S. Forest Service is preparing to reissue powerline permits to Southern California Edison for infrastructure serving local communities adjacent to and within the San Bernardino National Forest. The existing Special Use Authorizations have exceeded their expiration dates and updated authorizations are needed for…
By Greg Dill Medicare Regional Administrator for Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada and the Pacific Territories In April 2018, Medicare will mail new Medicare cards to all people with Medicare, to help protect from identity fraud. Fraudsters are always looking for ways to get a Social Security number, so Medicare is removing those numbers from its…
Despite a proposition (64, the Adult Use of Marijuana Act) passed in November 2016 and legislation (The Medicinal and Adult-Use Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act) passed in June 2017, the governor and Legislature continue to find a need to ensure these laws are appropriately and safely implemented. The latest fix, Assembly Bill 106, was passed…
Courtroom battle within weeks The trial of Robert Lars Pape, 29, and Cristin Conrad Smith, 29, charged with multiple counts of murder, is supposed to begin late this month. The prosecutors and defense attorneys are already preparing for the courtroom battle. Earlier this month, the Riverside County District Attorney submitted several motions to Judge Bernard…
At its Feb. 27 meeting, the Riverside County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed, without discussion, an ordinance declaring a temporary moratorium on the cultivation of industrial hemp. The intricacies of state laws have created a potential cannabis loophole the county hopes to temporarily close until the state can promulgate regulations for industrial hemp. U.S. law…
On Tuesday, March 20, the Riverside County Board of Supervisors will hold a workshop on the county’s cannabis ordinances and regulation, according to county officials. “It’s a workshop and not intended to produce an ultimate decision,” said Jeff Comerchero, chief of staff for Supervisor Chuck Washington, board chair from the 3rd District. “The question to…
