The Manzanita Fire, burning east of Highway 79 in Lamb Canyon, grew to 6,309 acres and was 86 percent contained by 7 a.m. Thursday. Currently, more than 1,300 firefighters, including the Idyllwild Fire Department, are combating the blaze. Three helicopters and eight aircraft are providing air attack. The fire started Monday afternoon. The apparent cause…
Last week, the Riverside County Board of Supervisors adopted a preliminary budget for fiscal year 2017-18, which begins July 1. The major unresolved issue is the level of funding for the Sheriff’s Department. During the discussion about the 2017-18 budget, Supervisor Marion Ashley, 5th District, stated, “Public safety is still the number one priority of…
Some changes from May proposal State legislators approved a fiscal year 2017-18 budget last Thursday, the deadline before they would have to forfeit their salaries. The budget follows closely the outlines of Gov. Jerry Brown’s May revision, but several major changes to the $125 billion budget were enacted, including a few items that do…
The Mountain Area Safety Taskforce prepares, as it does each year, to be fully staffed and ready for the challenges of fire season — a season that is lengthening each year and fueled this year by heavier precipitation. MAST is a multiagency taskforce organized to cooperate in fire response, educate the public about abatement and…
Joseph Leemhuis, 39, of Idyllwild, arrested in Idyllwild on April 14, 2017, on suspicion of possession for sale of marijuana, was extradited to Ramsey County, Minnesota, on a “no bail” warrant for felony fraud. According to Darren Meyer, California Highway Patrol public information officer, a tip led to Leemhuis’ arrest in Idyllwild. The tip said…
(This story was taken from a USDA press release.) U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and Interior Secretary Ryan K. Zinke joined forces in Boise, Idaho, last Friday at the National Incident Fire Command Center for a tour and briefing on the upcoming wildfire season. Following the events, the secretaries sent a memorandum to…
(This story is from a California News Publishers Association release.) On Tuesday, May 30, the California Assembly overwhelmingly approved a measure that would impose fines on agencies that knowingly violate the California Public Records Act. AB 1479 by Assemblyman Rob Bonta (D-Alameda) would give courts the power to charge a government agency up to $5,000 for delaying or…
(This story was taken from two Riverside County University Health System press releases.) Testing is being urged after active tuberculosis was diagnosed at three hospitals in Riverside County. Riverside County health officials are working with administrators at Hemet Valley Medical Center in Hemet and Parkview Community Hospital in Riverside to determine who may have been…
(This is taken from a Riverside County press release.) The Riverside County Board of Supervisors last week appointed George A. Johnson as county executive officer, effective Thursday, June 8. The announcement came after the board appointed Johnson, 56, to the position in closed session following the regular board meeting. Board Chairman John Tavaglione praised Johnson…
Seventeen cities, and one Indian Tribe, contract with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department for police services. In the past several years, as the county’s budget problems have stabilized, but not been eliminated, most of the cities have expressed concerns over increasing costs of their contracts. In the past, their options were to negotiate fewer services…
