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…
Brendan Steele closed on Saturday and Sunday at Riviera with a pair of 69s to post a 2-under-par_74-70-69-69 — 282, placing him tied for 14th, only 4 strokes off the winning score. He posted an eagle and 12 birdies against 12 bogies. The pros spoke of the course as playing U.S. Open tough with kikuyu grass…
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…
Q. We’re going out for crab legs this weekend at a seafood restaurant. But I hate wearing those big plastic bibs they give you with the cartoon crab on them. What else can I do? Edith, Temecula A. Bring along your own bib. An old sweater works fine. Just tie the arms around your neck…
Once again a state legislator is attempting to repeal the controversial state fire prevention fee. Last week, Sen. Mike Morrell (R-Rancho Cucamonga), introduced Senate Bill 198 to eliminate the fee, which was enacted in 2011. “While the legality of the fire tax is more than questionable, it is also fundamentally unfair,” said Morrell in a…
Being a 6-foot-tall green dog called Thunder with a red nose and floppy ears is funny enough. But when Thunder, the Lake Elsinore Storm’s mascot, misbehaved throughout a presentation for Idyllwild School elementary students, despite the best efforts of his handlers to stick to the script — repeatedly scratching his ample posterior, brushing under his…
The $25 drop-off fee for certain e-waste recycling at the Idyllwild Transfer Station remains in place, according to Mike Williams of Waste Management Inc., who operates the station, and John Watkins, deputy director, Environmental Protection and Oversight, Riverside County Department of Environmental Health. Reasons cited include legislation that does not prohibit collection of the fees…
Editor: Every once in a while the government does something so crazy that I get really fed up. I just got a notice from the county that I have two weeks to pay them $444 to come to Idyllwild to inspect for stormwater runoff. Now, if there were lots of environmental hazardous waste coming off…
Nancy Layton, chair of the Idyllwild Fire Protection District Finance Committee, in consultation with fire Chief Patrick Reitz canceled the committee’s Feb. 17 meeting. The next scheduled committee meeting is Tuesday, March 17. “… we do not have pressing business or substantial regular business of the Finance Committee to attend to next week,” Layton said…
