Idyllwild Town Crier

Jim Crandall, Palms to Pines handicap chair, gave this report on last week’s Palms to Pines golf tournament: Palms to Pines Golf Association co-founder George Kretsinger showed up in his own golf cart to tag along for a few holes during the club’s regular monthly tournament at the Palm Desert Resort Country Club on Friday, Nov. 18. Kretsinger, who...

Light pollution The Board of Supervisors postponed action on the draft ordinance to control light trespass. The board scheduled a public hearing at its Oct. 15 meeting, but Supervisor John Tavaglione (2nd District), the ordinance’s sponsor, was absent. Another hearing was scheduled for the Nov. 22 meeting. “Light trespass occurs when light fixtures on one property falls across a property...

Two key developments moved the Idyllwild Historic Preservation District (IHPD) closer to becoming fully functional. One involves the county’s retaining a contractor to draw up the IHPD design guidelines and the timeline for completing them. The other is the opening of the application process for selecting the five members for the local IHPD board (see sidebar). The county issued...

At the Nov. 21 Idyllwild Chamber of Commerce (Chamber) meeting, Jazz in the Pines Logistic Director Ted Cummings informed the directors that festival planners do not plan to continue their Jazz and Jambalaya Saturday night dinner and entertainment. This will also eliminate any conflict with the in-town Marshall Hawkins jazz concert which the Chamber sponsored this year.. Cummings...

The worsening state budget is posing a significant threat to local school district budgets. Fortunately, Hemet Unified School District (HUSD) has the wherewithal to withstand the potential short-term reductions. In the longer term, Hemet could possibly see its state funding reduced $12 million more within this budget year, according to HUSD superintendent Dr. Steven Lowder. But Lowder feels that...

Forest Service lifts fire restrictions With recent rain across the southland, forest officials on the San Bernardino National Forest reduced fire restrictions effective today and have begun winter burning projects. “While campfires and recreational shooting are being allowed in portions of the forest, we are not completely out of wildfire danger yet, and ask the public to always exercise caution...

Third District Supervisor Jeff Stone is seeking five individuals for the Idyllwild Historical Preservation District local review board. This is a nonpaying position. Members must reside within a three-mile radius of the Historic Preservation District boundaries. Knowledge in architecture, construction techniques, and familiarity with the history of the Idyllwild Historical Preservation District is desired. The local review board...

As a small community, we are certainly not represented by ICRC/ICC . Since Idyllwild is not incorporated, we have no mayor nor council members to hear our complaints. We are relegated to sharing our complaints or praise in this quaint little newspaper. We can write all the letters we want, and express our views, hitting the nail on the head. We,...

Can someone please explain how local politics work around here? We just had a general election. It was well publicized and well debated. Our fire department is in financial trouble, going from $1 million in reserves to $60,000 with very little accounting. The people of Idyllwild spoke loudly, strongly rejecting and voting out their president, Pete Capparelli. Now Capparelli is...

I am responding to the letter from the new Town Hall employee, Susan Swanson . I agree with her that the children are our most important asset. I created and implemented the Forest Friends Preschool at Town Hall in 2005. I have been teaching children for over 25 years. I am confident that all of our local staff at...