Pine Cove

Caltrans wins! Boulder loses.

“All lanes on SR 243 are open,” Cal Trans Public Information Officer Terri Kasinga announced Wednesday night about 6:30 p.m. After battling a 48-ton boulder since Monday, Caltrans has chipped enough of the boulder to be able to move it off the highway lane. As a precaution for motorists, cones have been placed around boulder….

Boulder 3; Caltrans 1 Progress on eliminating Highway 243 blockage

While the boulder that has closed Highway 243 between Pine Cove and Idyllwild since Sunday night maintains its position, Caltrans is making progress today. With a new drill for its hydraulic breaker, Caltrans is chipping away at the boulder and there is hope it can be moved late today — but no official announcement yet….

Boulder 1; Caltrans 0

The boulder, which has closed Highway 243 since Sunday night, is strongly resisting Caltran’s efforts to reduce it and remove it. The boulder has broken the special equipment Caltrans rented to break it up. The drill on the equipment 50,000-pound excavator equipped with a hydraulic breaker broke today. Calrans does not have an estimate of…

Highway 243 closed due to boulder

On Tuesday morning, Jan. 12, Highway 243 remained closed between Idyllwild and Pine Cove, and Caltrans had no estimate of when the highway would re-open to traffic. A boulder fell onto the highway late Sunday night at Deadman’s Curve, which resulted in the road’s closure. To remove the boulder, Caltrans rented specially fabricated equipment (a…

A passage between Pine Cove and Idyllwild may be available; but 4-wheel drive needed and some local residents object that non-resident users are trespassers

According to one Lakeview Drive resident who contacted the Town Crier, a bypass between Idyllwild and Pine Cove is available but she strongly encourages users to have 4-wheel drive or all-wheel drive vehicles, since two-wheel drive vehicles have gotten stuck in the snow several times today. But some other Lakeview Drive residents object to the…

Weather Service post winter weather advisory for Hill; warnings have been lifted

About noon, Thursday, Jan. 7, the National Weather Service in San Diego issued a winter weather advisory for the mountains of Riverside County, which will be in effect until 10 p.m. tonight. The previous winter storm warnings have been lifted. The NWS forecasts “a low pressure system over California will move inland later today with…

Power outage in Pine Cove

Another power outage occured on the Hill Wednesday. Around noon, a tree fell on house in Pine Cove (near Marion Ridge Road and Highgrove). Initially more than 1,000 customers were affected. Power has been restored to some Southern California Edison customers, but homes near the incident will be without power longer. Photos courtesy of Becky…

Nominations for Pine Cove Water District board still open til June 3

The nomination period for candidates to the Pine Cove Water District has been extended to 5 p.m., Wednesday, June 3. According to the Registrar of Voters, “If nomination documents for an incumbent are not delivered by 5:00 p.m. on the 88th day [Friday, May 29] before the general election, any person other than the person…

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Dog rescued from jaws of boulders

Aslan, her faithful companion, literally got stuck trying to return to owner Sara Norris of San Marcos. “It’s not like him not to come back,” she said. On Thursday afternoon, Norris, who was staying at Thousand Trails in Pine Cove, called the emergency number at Animal Rescue Friends of Idyllwild for help finding Aslan. Norris…

Pine Cove Water moves to Stage 2 conservation level      Keeps Stage 1 water rates

Pine Cove Water moves to Stage 2 conservation level Keeps Stage 1 water rates

Pine Cove Water District will move to Stage 2 water conservation on June 1, announced General Manager Jerry Holldber. PCWD has been in Stage 1 water conservation since April 2014. At the May 13 meeting, Holldber told the directors of his decision to lift restrictions from volunteer conservation to tightened mandatory actions. However, he did…