Cal Fire has begun mailing the Fire Prevention Fee bills to property owners with land or structures within State Responsibility Areas, such as these mountain communities. This is the third year of the fee imposition and litigation challenging its legality is still in the state courts. “Fee assessments for Riverside County are scheduled to be…
Hill voters will have several choices for the June primary ballot. Former Assemblyman Ray Haynes, Republican, has decided to enter the race for U.S. Representative from the 36th District. He is challenging incumbent Dr. Raul Ruiz and fellow Republican Brian Nestande (current 46th District state assemblyman). California’s “Top Two” law sends the two candidates, regardless…
Last week, President Barack Obama submitted his budget request for fiscal year 2014-15, which begins Oct. 1. For the U.S. Forest Service, the president is requesting $5.7 billion, an increase of $228 million. This includes a proposed change to funding wildland firefighting. In past years, if the appropriation for fire suppression was not sufficient to…
Deaths in California from influenza virus rose to 318 people under 65 years from the beginning of the year to last week, according to the California Department of Public Health. Six of these deaths were children. Another 26 deaths are still under investigation. The 12 deaths last week were the fewest flu-related deaths since the…
The U.S. Forest Service announced last week that San Bernardino National Forest recreation managers will be seeking public comments on their proposals for the 2013-14 State of California Off-Highway Vehicle grant program. Specifically, these grant proposals would be for Cooperative Agreements with the Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Division. The national forest staff is encouraging the public…
On Tuesday, President Barack Obama released his fiscal year 2015 (starting Oct. 1, 2014) federal budget proposal. Beginning next year, the President plans to change the ways the federal government funds its costs of fighting wildfires. The proposal provides certainty, safeguards and effectiveness for paying these annual costs, which are in the billions of dollars….
On Saturday, March 1, Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr. signed legislation to assist drought-affected communities and provide funding to better use local water supplies. “Legislators across the aisle have now voted to help hard-pressed communities that face water shortages,” said Brown in the press release. “This legislation marks a crucial step — but Californians must…
On Friday, Feb. 14, the California State Board of Equalization announced it will consider adjusting the excise tax rate for gasoline downward by $0.035 during its scheduled Feb. 25 meeting in Culver City. Gasoline prices have declined and are projected to remain low during the next fiscal year. If adopted, between July 1, 2014 and…
Measles has broken out in California. On Friday, the California Department of Public Health confirmed 15 cases of measles in the state, compared to two at this time in 2013. Three were in Riverside County and another eight reported in Los Angeles and Orange counties. The ages of these 15 individuals range from 5 months…
Although deaths in California from influenza virus rose to 278 people under ages 65, other signs indicate that the flu season is beginning to abate. In California, both outpatient visits and hospitalizations have decreased for two consecutive weeks and are within or below levels that would be expected at this point in the flu season….
