The winter of 2019 has been wet and cold, perhaps more typical of historic winter weather than recent winters. For example, the 2017-18 rain year was one of the driest on record in Southern California. In contrast, since the middle of January, the U.S. Forest Service’s Keenwild Station has recorded nearly 20 inches of rain….
In April 2017, after five years of little rain, the winter storms were more than sufficient for former Gov. Jerry Brown to rescind the state of emergency, which he declared in January 2014, because of the statewide drought. However, drought conditions persisted throughout the state, even though the worst seemed over. Then, the winter of…
Editor: Idyllwild Fire Protection District is attempting to raise the taxes of Idyllwild residents in the form of a “parcel fee.” When this is proposed to the residents of Idyllwild, voters will need all the facts. I want you to remember what IFPD did to your neighbors in Pine Cove when the residents of Pine…
Last Thursday marked the one-month anniversary of the Valentine’s Day deluge resulting in lava-like slides that melted our mountaintop. Next Monday marks the eight-month anniversary since a psychotic man torched a mountainside, causing residents and tourists to flee for days, and damaging the lives of many people who lost their homes or property. Lives unhinged…
Last week, Secretary of State Alex Padilla released the latest voter registration data as of Feb. 10, and 79.1 percent of eligible Californians have registered to vote. Four years ago in February 2015, 72.7 percent of eligible voters were registered. Last month, 19,978,450 Californians were registered to vote, an increase of about 280,000 voters since…
The principal news from the March 13 Pine Cove Water District meeting was the 40-percent increase in water production caused by many pipe leaks on customer property. In other business, the board unanimously adopted its annual resolution setting the standby charges at $30 per acre, per year for each acre or portion, which has been…
As expected, Garner Valley residents, who are customers of the Lake Hemet Municipal Water District, have filed a lawsuit opposing the board’s December decision to raise water rates. On Dec. 20, 2018, the LHMWD adopted water rate increases for all of its customers — in Hemet, Valle Vista and Garner Valley. The district did recognize…
At the March 26 meeting of the Idyllwild Fire Protection District commission, a revised fee schedule will be on the agenda. The district will consider increasing many fees for reviewing construction plans, water systems and mitigation efforts, and adding some new fees. Capt. James LaMont developed the new fee amounts. He assessed the time needed…
No doubt that the torrential Valentine’s Day rainstorm caused significant damage to local highways, roads and structures. But this winter’s weather terror was not limited to rain. The unusually low temperatures and their duration caused many water pipes to crack or break. Depending on the flow through pipes, these leaks created significant monetary loss for…
Mark DeAntonio, 53, of Pine Cove, who missed several scheduled court appearances in January and February, appeared in court March 12. A felony settlement conference was set for April 16. DeAntonio was charged in June with negligently discharging a firearm. He had several hearings in January regarding his attorney’s request for a mental health diversion….
