Idyllwild Town Crier

Mountain Disaster Preparedness and Idyllwild Fire Protection District are partnering to offer Community Emergency Response Team Training to the mountain communities. The 20-hour basic CERT course will take place from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7, and from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8, and Sunday, Feb. 9. The classes and most of the exercises will take...

Gov. Jerry Brown has released his budget for fiscal year 2014-15, which begins July 1. The proposed budget of $106.8 billion is $8.3 billion (or 8.5 percent) more than 2013-14 budget. This is the largest state budget since former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s $102 billion budget for fiscal year 2007-08. While most state programs will enjoy a modest increase, Brown’s priorities...

Despite worries about the statewide drought, General Manager Steve Erler said he is not worried about Fern Valley Water District’s water supplies this spring. During the board’s Jan 17 meeting, Erler said, “The lack of rain and snow pack is a concern to me. But at this time we should be fine. “I’m keeping an eye on resources,” he stressed. “All...

J.P., our news editor, received an unexpected call in December from a man who identified himself as the new captain at the Riverside County Sheriff’s Hemet Station. Capt. Ray Wood told him he was interested in being more proactive in Idyllwild. Subsequently, they set a date and time to meet on the Hill. On Friday morning, Jan. 10, Wood arrived, toured...

Idyllwild native Brendan Steele played about as well as anyone from tee to green last week at the Humana Challenge in La Quinta, but his flat stick did not cooperate. He shot a 7-under-par 70-70-69 — 209 for the first three days, but missed the cut by 2 strokes. Steele hit 78-percent of the fairways with drives averaging 307 yards,...

Brendan Steele entered the second round at the Farmers Insurance Open on the Torrey Pines course in La Jolla at four over par after playing the tough South Course on Thursday. With the two-round cut likely at even par, the Idyllwild native needed at least a four-under-par performance today on the North Course to make that cut. In today’s second...

Judy Marsh, 57, of Ramona, passed away Friday, Jan. 10, 2014. Born to John and Margaret Collin Feb. 21, 1956 in Minneapolis, Minn., Judy graduated from El Cajon Valley High School in 1974 and received a bachelor of arts degree in sociology from UCSD in 1978. She married Patrick Marsh in 1977. Judy was a proud and loving mother and grandmother,...

Last week, Dr. Raul Ruiz (D-Palm Desert) announced $1.5 millions in funding for the repair or reconstruction of Federal-aid highways and roads that suffered serious damage as a result of wildfires in Riverside County. This Federal grant comes after Dr. Ruiz and other federal lawmakers sought a formal disaster declaration making the State eligible for the funds. “This grant will...

Signs of General Manager Terry Lyons’ retirement are being seen more frequently at the Idyllwild Water District. At last Wednesday’s board meeting, Lyons reported that 26 applicants had responded to the board’s notices seeking a new general manager. The list has been narrowed to six and the board will conduct interviews Thursday, Jan. 23. Lyons plans to leave at the...

Editor’s note: The headline is Rollie Atkinson’s own slogan. Atkinson, publisher of the Sonoma West Publishers in Healdsburg, gave the Town Crier permission to reprint this editorial published in the Healdsburg Tribune. I couldn’t have said it better. Did you have your cup of coffee this morning on your way to work? How much did it cost? A buck, $1.50,...