Month: August 2018

The Chief of Idyllwild Fire Protection District Patrick Reitz has a strong message for those staying behind despite widespread evacuation orders: leave now. “Folks, we’ve issued an evacuation order. We’ve asked you to leave. We’re telling you for your own safety and the safety of our crews. Please, leave.” Staying behind There are “some individuals

Local leaders visited the firefighters battling the Cranston Fire near Idyllwild to get a first-hand account of the fire. Tribal Chairman of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians Jeff Grubbe. Congressman Raul Ruiz, Senator Jeff Stone were among the many in attendance of Friday morning’s briefing giving the latest updates on the Cranston Fire,

Today, Cal Fire announced a new Fire Chief for Riverside County. Effective immediately, Shawn C. Newman will serve as Riverside County Fire Department Fire Chief and the chief of the Riverside Cal Fire Riverside Unit. “It is truly my honor and privilege to return to the Riverside Unite as the Fire Chief and support the

An interim fire chief was in charge in Riverside County today following the still-unexplained removal of John Hawkins by CalFire, the agency that employs him. Hawkins is still an employee of CalFire but no longer Riverside County Fire Chief, according to a CalFire spokesman. Deputy Fire Chief Dan Talbot will serve as acting fire chief

9-1-1 emergency lines in the High Desert were down for much of Tuesday, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. But the Sheriffs Department dispatch center said all service had been restored as of 12:30 a.m. Wednesday morning. The outage was first reported shortly before noon on Tuesday. The department had said that in

A drunken driver who triggered a multi-car crash in Indio that resulted in the death of a 14-year-old boy and injuries to more than a dozen others pleaded guilty today to gross vehicular manslaughter and DUI charges. Juan Gomez, 50, of Indio, is expected to be sentenced on Aug. 8 to more than 30 years

Authorities today released the name of an Anza man killed in a solo rollover crash in Palm Desert earlier this month. Keith Marlin, 44, died at the scene of the July 20 crash on state Route 74, west of Palowet Drive, according to California Highway Patrol Officer Jackie Quintero. Marlin, who was not wearing a