In June 2010, California voters approved Proposition 14 establishing that the top two vote getters in a primary would advance to the general election regardless of their party affiliation. So two Democrats or two Republicans might face-off in the general election, and this has happened several times in 2012 and 2014 elections. The January edition…
As of Friday, Feb. 20, California health officials reported 123 confirmed cases of measles since December 2014. That is 50 more cases in a month and twice the total cases in 2014. A week ago, the total cases in the U.S. were 141. As a result of the expanding measles outbreak, state senators Dr. Richard…
In November 2014, California voters overwhelming approved Proposition 1, a bond measure to provide financing to increase water supply, provide clean, safe and reliable water, and restore habitat. The total amount authorized was $7.5 billion to be allocated among seven categories: water storage, watershed protection and restoration, groundwater sustainability, regional water management, water recycling and…
Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-Palm Desert) represents California’s 36th Congressional District, which includes all of the Hill, is in danger, according to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Ruiz first won election to the House of Representatives in 2012 when he upset incumbent Rep. Mary Bono. In November 2014, he was re-elected defeating Republican challenger Assemblyman Brian…
A research report published on Feb. 12 predicts “megadroughts” for California, droughts much larger than historical droughts. Two NASA scientists and a colleague with the Earth and Atmospheric Sciences of Cornell conducted the research that covers weather patterns from more than 1,000 years ago. “Such ‘megadrought’ events exceeded the duration of any drought observed during…
Idyllwild Town Crier Editor Becky Clark with Jonathan Sanchez, director of the National Association of Hispanic Publishers, Hal Fuson of Copley News, 47th District Assemblywoman Cheryl Brown, Dolores Sanchez, publisher of Eastern Group Publishers, State Controller Betty Yee and Regina Wilson, executive director of California Black Media at the California Newspaper Publishers Association’s Governmental Affairs Day in Sacramento Wednesday.
While county revenues are gradually improving, the budget for the current fiscal year that ends June 30 still projects deficits for each of the principal public safety agencies. “While local economic indicators continue gradually trending positive, significant budgetary challenges lay ahead,” Riverside County Executive Officer Jay Orr said in his midyear budget report to the…
The San Bernardino National Forest will be seeking public input for its upcoming California Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division grants that will be submitted on March 2. California state regulations require public input prior to the preliminary application deadline in this fund-allocation process. The agreements support off-highway vehicle management activities on the national forest, including…
Despite the rainstorms in November and December, 2015 appears to be becoming the fourth-consecutive drought year. However, the National Weather Service is still forecasting above-average rainfall for Southern California between February and April. Through the end of January, rainfall on the Hill is substantially below the long-term average rain through January of 14.2 inches. The…
For the federal fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, 2015, President Barack Obama has requested a $6.5 billion budget for the U.S. Forest Service. This includes $700 million of mandatory funding and a new proposal for $850 million to supplement fire suppression costs. Without these two items, the president’s request is $4.9 billion, $130 million less…
