The National Weather Service confirmed what many people felt last year — hot! Since temperature records have been kept for more than a century, 2014 was the warmest year on record and that includes the Hill. And the drought persists, too. While NWS has some missing data for Idyllwild, the average temperature was 58.1 degrees,…
The Internal Revenue Service and the Free File Alliance just launched Free File, which makes brand-name tax software products and electronic filing available to most taxpayers in California for free. Free File software can help taxpayers with tax preparation, including the health-care law that will affect almost everyone. Californians can use Free File software immediately….
The Riverside County Commission for Women is accepting nominations for its 2015 Woman of the Year and Young Lady of the Year awards. The awards are bestowed upon an outstanding woman and young lady in each supervisorial district who have demonstrated an exceptional commitment to the community by working to improve the status of women,…
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department is hiring. But if anyone thinks becoming a deputy is as easy as filling out an application, they might be surprised to learn that to be deputized, one must go through a rigorous background check that eliminates thousands of applicants. Fewer than 1 percent of applicants are accepted. And even…
Taxes and health insurance are merging this spring. As the current open enrollment period for Covered California ends Feb. 15, tax season has started, and whether one has health insurance will be asked on the 2014 tax return. The “shared responsibility payment” takes effect for 2014, and many who were uninsured will see an impact…
Last week, Sen. Jeff Stone (R-28th District) announced his appointment to serve on four major committees and one Budget Subcommittee in the California State Senate. Stone will serve as vice chair of the Natural Resources Committee and also of the Labor and Industrial Relations. He also will serve on the Budget and Fiscal Review Committee,…
Gov. Jerry Brown proposed a $113.4 billion budget for the fiscal year 2015-16, which begins July 1, and is about $1.5 billion more than the current year budget. The budget is balanced and sets aside $2.8 billion in the state’s rainy-day fund. While Brown did not have to deal with the expansive deficit he faced…
While the current flu season continues spreading rapidly throughout the country, it remains relatively low in California. Nevertheless, on Friday, Jan. 9, the California Department of Public Health confirmed the first influenza death in the state this season. The flu victim was a Southern California resident and under age 65, CDPH reported. Outpatient visits for…
The 2014-15 flu season is growing with portions of the country considered at epidemic levels. However, California and Riverside County remain at or below normally expected levels at this part of the flu season. Based on its weekly survey before New Year’s, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the “proportion of deaths…
Hill residents and visitors have benefited from falling gas prices this fall and although the market price of gas will depend on the world price of oil, the pump price of gasoline may increase 9 to 10 cents this month. This is the consequence of a California law (Assembly Bill 32) enacted in 2006 to…
