• Obituary: Joan Potratz

    Joan Potratz, age 84, of Hemet, Calif., went to be with the Lord on Monday, Jan. 17, 2011. At the time of her death, she was a resident of the Devonshire Care Center in Hemet. Joan was born Oct. 7, 1926, in Los Angeles. She was the daughter of the late John Bondage and the…

  • Obituary: Paula Jean Fredericks

    Paula Jean Fredericks, 64, of El Cajon, Calif., died Dec. 9, 2010 at Sharp Grossmont Hospital from pulmonary complications. She was born on Nov. 11, 1946 to William and Mary Vowiell. She married James F. Harding in 1965. In 1968, she marriedher second husband, Robert A. Fredericks. She worked for 13 years as a communications…

  • Obituary: Betty Elaine Cole

    Betty Elaine Cole passed away Dec. 3, at the age of 86, in her home in Idyllwild. Betty was preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, Donald M. Cole Jr., in 2005. She is survived by her children, Sheryl (Chuck) Luker of Palmdale; Denise (John) Edmiston of Idyllwild; Diane (Ron) Hayes of Idyllwild;…

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    Winter fire safety and emergency advice

    For those of us in the fire suppression business, winter presents a paradox. Once the rain and snow come we, and the citizens of our mountain, relax our hyper vigilance for wildland fire. Statistically however, the biggest threat to life and property in our mountain communities has been cold temperatures, ice and snow. We’ve never…

  • Obituary: Charles Erskine Jr.

    On Nov. 26, 2010 Charles (Chuck) Erskine Jr. passed away at the age of 87 in Palm Desert, Calif. He was born in San Diego to Charles and Alberta Erskine. He attended school in San Diego and soon after high school graduation was drafted into the Army Infantry. During World War II, he served as…

  • Obituary: Jeremiah Vicondova

    Jeremiah Vicondova of Idyllwild entered into eternal rest on Nov. 11, 2010. He was 63 years old. Jere was born at March Air Force Base in Riverside on Aug. 14, 1947. He worked most of his adult life in the medical field as a certified nursing assistant at Riverside General. His last job was driving…

  • Obituary: Jean Kowal Jerome

    Jean Kowal Jerome died Nov. 28, 2010. She was born Sept. 9, 1927 in Janesville, Wis., the youngest of the six children of Harry and Mary Kowal. After graduating from Janesville High School in 1945, she showed the adventurous independent commitment to service that would guide her life by enrolling immediately in Walter Reed Army…

  • Obituary: Diane Miller

    Diane Miller, 68, of Idyllwild, after a battle with cancer, passed away peacefully, surrounded by family in Chino Hills, on Saturday, Oct. 16. She was a loving mother, wife, grandmother, friend and spiritual guide. She loved living in the mountains and attended Queen of Angels Catholic Church. She and her husband, Frank Vrabel, were active…

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    Preparing your trees for winter

    While trees look inactive going into winter, the fact is they continue to regulate their metabolism and only slow down some physiological activities. This decrease in photosynthesis and transpiration begins a tree’s dormant phase. Even during winter, trees continue to slowly grow roots, respire and take in water and nutrients. A dormant tree needs to…