The June 3 primary election determined that Republicans Bonnie Garcia and Jeff Stone would be competing against each other to fill the vacant State Sen. District 28 seat. If the primary race was an indication of the level of competition, summer and fall will see a major battle between these two candidates. Entering the campaign,…
The city of San Jacinto is widening the Ramona Expressway over about a 10-month period beginning Monday, Aug. 11, from the two existing lanes to five lanes. Sean Motlagh, project manager in the City Engineering Department, said the project will modify traffic signals, improve drainage and add a bike path, too. The project is between…
The Riverside County Board of Supervisors submitted a 22-page response with attachments to the county grand jury’s May report critical of the board’s awarding Community Improvement Designation funds to local nonprofits.
Police are looking for information regarding a missing person, believed to be at risk. Juan Pedro Valladares, 34, was last seen Friday, July 25. His car was found on Monday, July 28, at the Cahuilla Tenawet Vista Point off Highway 74 in Pinyon Pines. Family members reported Valladares missing on Friday after he asked for…
During the third quarter of 2014, contributions to Assemblyman Brian Nestande’s (R) campaign for California’s 36th Congressional seat were the most he has received in one quarter since formally entering the race to unseat incumbent Congressman Dr. Paul Ruiz (D). However, Ruiz still maintains an overwhelming lead in the cash-available category. As of June 30,…
Last week, Alex Tardy, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in San Diego provided the following YouTube video comments about the current drought and the possibility of relief if a fall or winter El Niño pattern develops. [These comments are paraphrased so are not in quotes.]: An El Niño is the warming of the equatorial…
During this past month, some progress has occurred regarding wildfire funding for the U.S. Forest Service. Congress has taken its first step to provide funding for next fiscal year while President Barack Obama is seeking more money for the current fire season. Fiscal year 2014-15 Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee…
Last week, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee held a hearing on the U.S. Forest Service 2014-15 budget request. However, the focus of most of the witnesses and Senate members was on possible solutions to the perennial “forest borrowing” problem. If the costs of firefighting exceed the funds Congress has appropriated, the Forest Service…
Last week, the State Water Resources Control Board proposed an unprecedented step. Water users in urban areas could be fined up to $500 each day for wasteful use of water during the drought. The board plans to impose prohibitions on washing vehicles with a running hose (without a control nozzle), watering hardscapes such as driveways,…
When asked what someone should do if they find a rattlesnake in their yard, California Department of Fish and Wildlife Biologist Kevin Brennan said, “Nothing. If it’s threatening you or your pet and you’re willing and capable, kill it. Otherwise, just spray it with a stream of water from a hose and it will go…
