Vol. 80, No. 27 Edition of the Idyllwild Town Crier
Idyllwild Rotary Club planning 59th Annual 4th of July Parade, reminds locals and vistiors of road closures
By David Jerome Correspondent
From the Idyllwild Rotary Club website:
The Rotary Club of Idyllwild is inviting all to Idyllwild’s 59th Annual 4th of July Parade, “an event that brings our community together in celebration of independence, unity, and small-town pride. It will be a morning filled with festive sights, familiar faces, and unforgettable moments as we honor the spirit of this great nation.”
The parade starts at 10 a.m. on Friday July 4th. The route starts at Fern Valley Corners, the intersection of North Circle, South Circle and Pine Crest Ave, and will end at the center of town, Idyllwild Park. Be aware that road clo-
sures will be in effect from 9:00 a.m. to noon along the parade route, North Circle, and adjoining streets. “Please plan ahead and thank you for your patience as we celebrate together!”
The parade promises “the usual mix of creative floats, lively marching bands, and dedicated community service organizations.” This year’s Grand Marshalls will be Shane and Ashley Stewart, “in honor of their contributions to our town.”
Those interested in volunteering to help with managing the crowd, directing traffic, and making the experience the best it can be for all involved, may reach out to the Idyllwild Rotary Club at: https://idyllwildrotary. com/4th-of-july-parade
Fireworks still banned for 4th of July celebrations
Agriculture Secretary says roadless areas are a threat to forests
By JP Crumrine Correspondent
Last week, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced that the Department will soon be rescinding the “Roadless Rule.” This rule, adopted in 2001, at the very end of President William Clinton’s second term, ended virtually all logging, roadbuilding, and mineral leasing on 58 million acres of the remaining undeveloped national forests lands.
Controversy has followed the rule since its adoption. President Donald Trump tried to void parts of it to allow construction in Alaskan forests as his first term ended in 2020. But former President Joseph Biden restored the protections afforded to those lands in Tongass National Forest.
At the early June meeting of the Western Governors’ Association, Rollins announced the plans to rescind this rule. She described the rule as “. . . overly restrictive and poses real harm to millions of acres of our national forests. In total, 30% of National Forest System lands are impacted by this rule.
“Once again, President Trump is removing absurd obstacles to common sense management of our natural resources by rescinding the overly restrictive roadless rule,” said Rollins said in the press release. “This move opens a new era of consistency and sustainability for our nation’s forests. It is abundantly clear that properly managing our forests preserves them from devastating fires and allows future generations of Americans to enjoy and reap the benefits of this great land.”
The action follows Trump’s issuance of an Executive Order in March directing the Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior to “. . . issue new or updated guidance regarding tools to facilitate increased timber production and sound forest management,
reduce time to deliver timber, and decrease timber supply uncertainty. . .”
According to Forest Service data, the Roadless Rule covers 58.5 million acres of national forests and grasslands. The Rule establishes prohibitions on road construction, road reconstruction, and timber harvesting on these lands. It is intended to provide lasting protection for inventoried roadless areas within the National Forest System in the context of multiple-use management.
The nearly 59 million acres represent 30 percent of the total National Forest System. However, in Utah, nearly 60% of Forest Service land is restricted from road development. Nearly 92 % of the Alaskan Tongass National Forest, the largest in the country, is covered by the rule.
In California, 4.4 million acres are roadless. This includes about 53,000 acres in the San Bernadino National Forest. On the Hill, the inventoried roadless areas are primarily on the eastern side of Tahquitz Peak. There are inventories of roadless areas on the western edge of the San Jacinto Ranger District, along the south fork of the San Jacinto River, but road construction is allowed.
When asked how many roadless acres were in the SBNF and the SJRD and how this action would affect their management, Naomi Gordon, External & Legislative Affairs Officer for the San Bernardino National Forest, said she could not answer and would find “an appropriate USDA spokesperson” to respond. No response has been received.
In the west, there is great support for this action. Rollins issued a press release with positive quotes from more than 10 elected officials.
See Agriculture Secretary, page A2
Senate public land sale idea nixed
By JP Crumrine Correspondent
The Senate’s Energy and Natural Resources Committee proposal to sell federal lands for housing and community infrastructure as well as to generate revenue to offset the proposed tax cuts embedded in the “One Big Beautiful Bill” has been withdrawn.
Senator Mike Lee (R Utah) and chair of the Committee introduced this proposal as the Committee drafted its reconciliation bill, which Republican Senate leaders want to pass without the chance that filibuster would cause delays or modifications.
The Senate Parliamentarian judges the procedures which will apply to each piece of legislation that the Senate may vote on. She ruled that this provision could not be included in the overall recission legislation if passage required less than 60 votes. It would still be subject to Senate rules on filibuster. Reconciliation legislation generally only needs a majority to pass, but when a filibuster can be initiated it requires 60 votes to end it.
The proposal also encountered significant bi-partisan opposition. For example, Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon, a Republican, qualified his support. “On a piece-by-piece basis where states have the opportunity to craft policies that make sense ... we can actually allow for some responsible growth in areas with communities that are landlocked at this point. There may be value there,” Gordon said to the Associated Press last week.
Newsweek reported that Idaho Sen. James Risch, a Republican, said in a statement to the Idaho Statesman, “After reviewing the Senate Energy and Natural Resources reconciliation language, I do not support the proposed provision to sell public lands.”
Earlier this year, Congressman Ryan Zinke, a Montana Republican and former Secretary of the Interior, had the Montana areas, in a similar proposal to sale public lands, removed from the U.S. House of Representatives bill.
After the Parliamentarian’s ruling, Lee, the sponsor of this provision, continued to support the intention but planned to modify the legislation.
“Housing prices are crushing families and keeping young Americans from living where they grew up. We need to change that,” he posted on X, formerly Twitter,
explaining his support. “Yes, the Byrd Rule limits what can go in the reconciliation bill, but I’m doing everything I can to support President Trump and move this forward.”
Then he added that he would withdraw Forest Service lands from the proposal and stressed that the amount of BLM lands would be reduced and would need to be within 5 miles of population centers.
However, Saturday evening, June 28, Lee decided to pull the entire provision.
On X he posted, “Because of the strict constraints of the budget reconciliation process, I was unable to secure, clear enforceable safeguards to guarantee that these lands would be sold only to American families –not to China, not to Blackrock, and not to any foreign interests.
And he concluded, “For that reason, I’ve made the decision to withdraw the federal land sales provision from the bill.”
“This is a victory for the American public, who were loud and clear: Public lands belong in public hands, for current and future generations alike,” said Tracy Stone-Manning, president of The Wilderness Society, in a press release after the Parliamentarian ruled. “We trust the next politician who wants to sell off public lands will remember that people of all stripes will stand against that idea. Our public lands are not for sale.”
“Last night’s ruling in the Senate is an important victory in the fight to protect America’s public lands from short-sighted proposals that would have undermined decades of bipartisan work to protect, steward, and expand access to the places we all share,” said Dr. Carrie Besnette Hauser, president and CEO of the Trust for Public Land, after learning the proposal to mandate the sale of millions of acres of federal public lands be removed from the budget reconciliation measure. “Across the country and across party lines, Americans have made it overwhelmingly clear: they do not want to see their public lands sold off to the highest bidder. Land sell-off proposals are deeply out of step with the will of a vast majority of Americans Consequently, the mountains on the Hill are unlikely to be sold, leveled, and developed.
Agriculture Secretary continued from A1
For example, California Congressman Doug LaMalfa said on Facebook, “The Forest Service is finally beginning the process to repeal the 2001 Roadless Rule—a policy that’s done more harm than good in the West.
“As Secretary Rollins made clear, the rule has blocked responsible forest management for over two decades, preventing thinning, logging, and the ability to build roads that are critical for wildfire response and public safety,” he continued.
The Chief of the Forest Service, Tom Schultz, was quoted as saying, “The forests we see today are not the same as the forests of 2001. They are dangerously overstocked and increasingly threatened by drought, insect-born disease, and wildfire. Currently, nearly half of our roadless acres – over 28 million – are at high or very high risk of catastrophic wildfire and are in desperate need of treatment. I applaud Secretary Rollins for taking decisive action to provide us with the tools and decision space we need to truly care for our forests and, in turn, protect the people and communities we serve.”
One of Rollins’ major points in her statement is removing the rule will allow for greater and better wildfire protection. “This misguided rule prohibits the Forest Service from thinning and cutting trees to prevent wildfires and when fires start, the rule limits our firefighters access to quickly put them out,” Rollins said at her news conference at the Governors’ meeting.
The American Forest Resource Council agrees with her.
“The Clinton-era Roadless Rule is a relic of the past—a 25-year-old policy that has failed to protect our forests and communities from the growing threats of wildfire, insects, disease, and climate change,” the council said in its press release. “Since the rule was imposed, an estimated 36 million acres of National Forest System lands have burned.”
But this view is not unanimous “It’s ridiculous for Secretary Rollins to spin this as a move that will reduce wildfire risk or improve recreation. Commercial logging exacerbates climate change, increasing the intensity of wildfires. This is nothing more than a massive giveaway to timber companies at the expense of every American and the forests that belong to all of us,” said Policy Director Rachael Hamby of the Center for Western Priorities.
“Our nation’s public forests belong to all of us, but the Trump administration is treating them as property for the private industry to clearcut, drill and profit,” said Josh Hicks, of the Wilderness Society. “Today’s announcement to revoke a pillar conservation policy is yet another example of such. The Roadless Rule has been remarkably successful in protecting our nation’s forests from destructive energy development, mining, logging and road building for nearly 25 years. Any attempt to revoke it is an attack on the air and water we breath and drink, abundant recreational opportunities which millions of people enjoy each year, havens for wildlife and critical buffers for communities threatened by increasingly severe wildfire seasons.”
And Chris Wood, President and CEO of Trout Unlimited, said in a press release, “Roadless areas are sources of clean water and some of the best hunting and fishing opportunities on the planet. Gifford Pinchot, the first chief of the Forest Service, once described conservation as ‘the application of common sense to common problems for the common good.’ Let’s hope common sense prevails and the Administration reconsiders its proposal.”
Local barber chair finds new home in Pacific Palisades fire station
By David Jerome Correspondent
Kristin Atwood tells us of a local barber chair finding new life in an Los Angeles County fire station. The chair was part of the equipment at the barber shop on Highway 243 below South Circle, where Don Strunk cut hair for many years.
David Atwood and Firefighter Alfonso Gonazalez prepare the chair for its trip to Pacific Palisades.
“A year ago, after the local barber shop closed, and at the garage sale, I bought one of the barber’s chairs, for when I was to have my hip replacement. That didn’t happen so we sold it. I placed an ad on Marketwatch and guess who bought it?” It turns out the buyer was a firefighter/paramedic with Los Angeles Fire, Alfonso Gonzalez.
“Alfonso drove three hours from the Pacific Palisades Fire Station 69. He’s their barber.” Alfonso, or “Fonze” to his friends, sent Atwood photos of the chair in action at the station, and quipped “As I’ve always joked with the guys, ‘The difference between a good haircut and a bad haircut is two weeks’ Thank you guys again!!!!”
PHOTO KRISTIN ATWOOD
Firefighter/Paramedic Alfonso Gonzalez cuts Firefighter Andrew Carter’s hair at Station 69 in Pacific Palisades PHOTO BY FIREFIGHTER/ENGINEER JAMES CZUBEK
Mountain Area Safety Taskforce gives updates on fuels reduction, wildfire readiness
By David Jerome Correspondent
The June 11 meeting of the Mountain Area Safety Taskforce was both a report from local, state and federal agencies on fire protection projects and staffing levels, and a freer conversation about the difficulties these agencies face in a constantly changing political environment that complicates long term, big picture planning.
CAL FIRE Unit Forester Lynette Short said that CAL FIRE’s next local projects will include the Point of Rocks fuel break, similar to the Pine Cove break, but on the north and northeast side of Pine Cove, and 500 feet wide. It butts up against Snow Creek and the State Park. Initiated in 2019 and is half treated due to budget constraints. Reentry is planned for this summer.
The Astro Camp fuel break, 85 acres crossing 243, sits in a canyon that Short said “could take a lot of heat” up from the highway into Idyllwild. In 2013 fire in the canyon blocked evacuation. Two winters have produced enough brush that this break will also need to be reentered this year.
Fogle said that CAL FIRE helped with the restoration and regrading of several access roads, including 5S10, the Redhill Truck Trail from Pine Cove to the Idyllwild Arts Academy.
Short reported that CAL FIRE’s main project since 2024 has been the Red Hill Vegetation Management Project. Short described it as a 300-foot-wide shaded fuel break, non-contiguous in some places, and scattered across Forest Service and State Park lands. It protects the north and northwest sides of Pine Cove and joins the Pine Cove Fuel break. It also comes down into the Nature Center. In the last two years, 230 acres have been completed.
The Point of Rocks project stretches from Snow Canyon to the State Park, also a shaded fuel break, 500 feet wide, on the north and northeast sides of Pine Cove, on very rugged terrain. It was started in 2019, and only half treated due to budget constraints. Reentry is planned for this summer with masticator and chipper.
The Astro Camp project is a smaller project, treating 85 acres on both sides of Highway 243. Short noted that it sits in a canyon that “could take a lot of heat from below” the highway, and channel fire up into the Saunders Meadow area.
All these fuels reduction projects must be reentered frequently, as brush has grown back on areas treated two or three years ago. The subject of herbicide was raised. Short said this is a discussion happening at the state level.
One thing that Short said she would like to have is an accurate map that puts all these fuel breaks in one place. Unfortunately this does not exist, and the interagency cooperation needed to produce a complete map is only now emerging.
Short noted that it has been a long time since CAL FIRE has done broadcast burns on the hill. In the meantime, fuels are cut and piled, waiting for winter weather to be burned, or masticated and left as mulch. With all burning, agencies must not only consider staffing and fire safety, but also the Air Quality Management District, which can shut down burns.
USFS Division Chief Chris Fogle reported that all fuels reduction work has been completed in his district except for Lytle Creek, in the Cajon Pass Recreation Area. No more prescribed burns are planned by the Forest Service until winter brings cooler temperature and higher humidity. Work included just under 600 acres of Administrative Areas and the Pine Cove fuel break. Next year fire may be applied to this break, including a possible broadcast burn. The Pine Cove break includes both private and Forest Service land.
Asked about the AQMD’s veto in 2024 of the longplanned Thomas Mountain prescribed burn, Fogle said that the AQMD’s concern was for the air quality in Los Angeles, but winds were going in the other direction. Fogle said that the AQMD treats the entire “air shed” as a single entity. The Town Crier asked SCAQMD for a response to this complaint, one which IFPD Chief Mark LaMont has voiced in Commissioner’s meetings, and their response is included in a separate item on this page.
CAL FIRE has begun inspecting vacant parcels in their jurisdiction for abatement, required by county ordinance within 100 feet of inhabited structures. Short said this had never been done in our area before, and inspectors will prioritize lots based on their nearness to inhabited structures and roadways and will begin with lots that have been the subject of complaints. The inspectors will direct owners to MCFSC, which administers a grant program that can pay 75% of abatement costs.
Short discussed the Golden Spotted Oak Borer grants that CAL FIRE has managed with Mountain Communities Fire Safety Council. Noting that $3.6 million, the amount of the grant MCFSC is administering, may be a lot of money, she added that “Getting fuels off the hill is pretty expensive,” but “you can’t leave it in place.” Trees carrying GSOB are presently hauled to a facility in Romoland. Short noted that MCFSC is part of a Forest Health subgroup in MAST that meets separately, and that at their most recent meeting she discussed with Callie Squires, MCFSC’s Executive Director, the possibility of the Forest Service subsidizing these transport costs. Squires noted that a single tree may weigh three to four tons.
Squires underlined that although grant funding for prophylactic spraying of oaks has run out, MCFSC continues to help property owners with the removal of dead, diseased and dying oaks afflicted with the GSOB. Learn more at mcfsc.org.
Fogle reported that USFS has four staffed engines: Cabazon, Cranston, Vista Grande, and Kenworthy. The helicopter is back on the hill after three weeks in Inyo County. The Forest Service also has two water tenders and three patrol vehicles. The Vista Grande Hot Shots had almost completed their 86-hour training and were expected to begin work that week.
Short reported that CAL FIRE had transitioned to peak fire season status. In our district they have 17 type 3 woodland engines, four bulldozers, 10 crews, two water tenders, one helitack helicopter, and a “Fire Hawk” water drop helicopter which is stationed at Hemet Ryan airport. This is in addition to year-round staffing of municipal type fire engines.
CAL FIRE Staff not responding to incidents will focus on the “LA 100” inspections. These were last done
in 2022, and the canvasing is done on a three-year cycle. Four additional inspectors have been hired to complete inspections before fall.
Battalion Chief James LaMont of IFPD reported that their staffing level is good and their crew have completed their annual Red Card training and are qualified to work on wildland fires.
LaMont noted the District’s recent purchase of a water tender and, under their Idyllwild Right of Way grant, a new chipper. The Right of Way project is in the planning and permitting stages, he said: IFPD has filed for a Notice of Exemption with the CEQA and is taking bids for the masticator and its support vehicles. When not responding to incidents, IFPD will continue to work on the Bear Trap fuel break this summer.
Daniel Diaz, IFPD’s newest Battalion Chief and the supervisor for the Idyllwild Right Of Way project, said he was “jumping in headfirst” and doing the best he could to integrate the various permissions he must get from county, state and federal jurisdictions. Short noted that although this grant—nearly $1 million— is the largest IFPD has ever received, it may be the first of many. If they are successful in completing the work, Short said, they may be able to apply for even bigger grants. The project, she affirmed, “fulfills a huge need.” The grant runs until 2030, but Chief LaMont said in May that he thinks the work should take a year and a half to three and a half years, depending on how much time they must spend responding to fires.
The second round of abatement inspections of the 3,829 parcels in IFPD’s jurisdiction have been completed, with 270 citation notifications mailed out. If the areas of concern are not addressed, then actual citations are issued.
Roland Gaebert, President of the Mile High Radio Club, reported that the club has four repeaters covering the mountain communities, and has added GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) capabilities. These radios are small, cheap, and easy to use. The licensing is done online. Gaebert noted that the MHRC meet at Middle Ridge Winery on the first Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. (milehighradioclub.org)
Although few members of the public have been attending MAST meetings since the return of in-person events after the pandemic, one citizen, Kathleen Edwards, came prepared to engage officials in a discussion of the big picture. Edwards is a retired Cal Fire Forester and has been credited with being the first person to detect the Golden Spotted Oak Borer in our mountains.
Edwards noted that although tree mortality is presently low, dry winters can be expected to drive it higher. She expressed a desire to see SCE crews removing trees they way they did after the 2003 Bark Beetle infestation, preferably before the trees die.
Edwards brought up projects around the state, and the difficulties faced by agencies conducting fuels reduction projects, even after Governor Newsom’s March 1 Executive Order (EO) and State of Emergency declaration to expedite fuels reduction projects. We heard that there is still no master plan for scaling up the work to meet the rising hazard. At this meeting, as at previous MAST meetings, the absence of a master map of fuel reduction projects was noted with regret.
Short said that CAL FIRE is in a “holding pattern” with uncertainty about how long it will take for the order to be translated into operational changes. Permitting is still going through the normal process, and the first projects eligible for the expedited process are being watched closely, with mixed reviews.
Chief Fogle spoke of the shortage of people, the many vacancies within the service, and the difficulties in complying with the National Environmental Protection Act. The present administration delivered some relief the first time, he said, but those changes were rescinded, and the Forest Service is waiting to see what is coming. The need to adjust to a regulatory regime that changes every four years is another issue that IFPD Chief Mark LaMont has frequently noted.
Diaz, drawing on his own experience, spoke of the challenges of planning and implementation, both of which face uncertainties in funding and thus personnel. The overall capacity for these projects is limited, he said, because “the public does not care enough about fuels reduction.” It is easier to get emergency funding to put a fire out than it is to secure the long term funding necessary for community safety projects. “We have to turn the mindset to prevention. The community has to be willing to put in the effort to get the work done prior to emergencies.”
Fogle added that the pressure has to be put on at the state level. “That is a political conversation.” Short said that CAL FIRE is not sitting still and waiting for change.
They have begun doing their own air quality monitoring on burns to produce data which can then be used to inform policy.
CAL FIRE recommends that all residents sign up for targeted evacuation warnings and orders with Alert Rivco (https:// rivcoready.org/alert-rivco ) and Genasys protect (https://protect.genasys. com/download)
The next meeting is scheduled for 11 a.m. Wednesday, September 10, and the Nature Center.
South Coast Air
Quality
Management District responds to questions about burn permits for fuels reduction projects
In light of the discussion at last month’s Mountain Area Safety Task Force Meeting about the challenges that agencies face in conducting prescribed burns for fuels reduction around our mountain communities, we asked for comment from SCAQMD. We asked about their role in permitting prescribed burns, and if their office is processing permits for these projects differently in view of the governor’s proclamation. This is the response we received from SCAQMD Spokesperson Rainbow Yeung:
“South Coast AQMD is the local regulatory agency responsible for improving air quality for large areas of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties, including the Coachella Valley. In this role, we approve prescribed burns in Riverside County under the agency’s Rule 444 - Open Burning. While prescribed burning by authorized organizations does not require a permit, it does require an approved Smoke Management Plan (SMP).
“SMPs are submitted and approved through the State of California’s Prescribed Fire Information Reporting System (PFIRS), an online database that links the prescribed burning organization and the local air district with jurisdiction over the burn. The system has been in use for over a decade and provides a streamlined approach for the review and approval of prescribed burns. Upon receiving submitted SMPs, South Coast AQMD enforcement staff generally approves the plans within two to three business days. The SMPs are then valid for an entire calendar year, and the organizations will identify particular days to conduct prescribed burns in accordance with the approved plans by calling South Coast AQMD’s Open Burn Hotline, which is monitored seven days a week. Our staff then confirms whether a No Burn Day has been declared on any of the requested days and, if not, issues a Burn Authorization Number allowing the prescribed burn to proceed. If a No Burn Day is in effect, the prescribed burn must be delayed, but we attempt to work closely with the requesting organization to find alternate dates and/or locations for the operation. More information about our Prescribed Burning program can be found on our website: https://www.aqmd.gov/home/rules-compliance/compliance/open-burn/prescribed-burns.
“South Coast AQMD has been fully deployed in response to the 2025 Los Angeles Wildfires, including ongoing air monitoring efforts, (https:// www.aqmd.gov/2025-wildfire-response) and we have been working with prescribed burning organizations—even before the March 1 proclamation was issued—to improve the regulatory process for prescribed burns. We recognize the critical importance of prescribed burning as a tool to address wildfire risk and are exploring ways to further streamline the requirements, including evaluating changes to our rules. We would welcome the opportunity to speak with any fire authorities or other officials within our jurisdiction regarding proposed improvements or alternative approaches for this vital program.”
“ASK SPIRITUAL WORKOUT”
By Steven Morrison, M.A.
• Editor’s Note: Spiritual Workout is a practice of these 15 concepts: Be Compassionate • Beliefs Matter • Be Present • Choices Abound • Everything Is Energy • Have an Attitude of Gratitude • Intentions Matter • Judgments Separate Us • Listen to Inspiration • Mind & Body Are Connected • Take Responsibility • The Law of Attraction Is Always On • We Are All Connected • We Are Here for a Reason • We Belong to the Planet, Not the Planet to Us. More at spiritualworkout. com.
Dear Spiritual Workout:
My girlfriend and I just graduated college and are living at home in separate cities while we plan our next moves, which will probably include graduate school. We’ve been together for two years, but she just told me that when we go on a planned trip this summer with mostly friends she went to college with (whom I’ve met and like), that I should tone it down. She says my personality is big and everyone loves me, and she gets lost in the shuffle. This isn’t an entirely new subject, and I don’t want to hurt her feelings but now I am feeling very self-conscious like never before and am not sure I even want to go on the trip. What to do?
Dear Reader:
First off, please, let’s just dispense with “I don’t want to hurt her feelings.” You being you (and each of us being each of us) is what we’re here to do as eternal beings having our human experiences. Know thyself. To thine own self be true. Nothing new here, just the imperative for us to actually live this concept once and for all. Never, ever is it the right thing for us to dim our light because it is an affront to another. That the other is affronted is the reality the other has created for herself. Not your problem and, I dare say, not the right relationship for you until and unless things change so drastically such that there is copious space for you to be the fullness of who you are all day every day. This, of course, is simply compassion in action.
Dear Spiritual Workout:
It seems like I tend to go deeper in my spiritual pursuits than a lot of my fellow travelers. It’s not a judgment, not in the least, just an observation. It seems this way because as I let go of more and more old stuff, like beliefs, and focus more and more on what I want, it’s really, really hard and even people in the same courses and classes don’t seem to be having similar experiences so there’s nobody to commiserate with about how hard it is. Am I missing something?
Dear Reader:
Probably not, but I’ll play. First off, appreciating your non-judgment, my experience has taught me to make zero assumptions about another person’s life journey (yes, more non-judgment). What you see as not being “really, really hard” for them may or may not be true. Another other part of what you might be missing, as it were — and I’ll speak only from my experience as a Spiritual Workout facilitator — is that not everyone who engages work like this does so for the same reasons or in the same ways, which is why we don’t judge how another walks this path. Meanwhile, I long-ago called this practice a workout because I know full well the effort it takes, no question. But because “it’s really, really hard” is belief that feels to me like rocks in the backpack, for no reason, I don’t entertain it. Effort is a given. But that’s just me.
• Dear Reader
Send your questions to dearspiritualworkout@ spiritualworkout.com. (Confidentiality assured.) When you’re ready for more, find cutting-edge counseling Spiritual Workout-style for $50/month at spiritualworkout.com
Final County budget approved
By JP Crumrine Correspondent
At their June 24 meeting, the Riverside County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved its budget for Fiscal Year 25-26, which began July 1. The budget totals over $10 billion, much of which is from federal and state funds. The total discretionary budget is just more than $1 billion.
Seven people spoke to the Board before its vote. They either urged more funding for public safety, i.e., the Sheriff’s Department, or social services.
“I would hate to see pay for the Sheriff’s protection lowered,” said Steve Ginn. “Think carefully before cutting down protection.”
Roy Bleckert also encouraged full funding for the additional salary and other expenses necessary to maintain the same level of service next year.
And other speakers felt that the Sheriff’s funding was sufficient, but the County did not truly follow the priorities put forward in the various public meetings and the extensive survey.
“I’m here to express disappointment about the budget,” said Rabbi Suzanne Singer. “I understand the need for public safety. But what about linking the discussion of the priorities of the community, such as re-entry housing, health, potholes?”
She also recommended converting the John Benoit Detention Facility into a mental health facility.
After the public spoke, County Executive Jeff Van Wagenen presented the budget for approval. He felt
that the budget development process was dependent on the community involvement this year.
“It absolutely influenced the recommendation, but I always stressed that not everybody would get everything that they wanted,” he noted.
The overall community priorities were public safety at number one, health systems and social services followed at numbers two and three, Van Wagenen stated.
At their preliminary budget approval on June 10, the Board directed Van Wagenen to find money during the coming fiscal year to ensure the Sheriff’s Department does not need to reduce any staffing.
He also highlighted several of the new health and social services programs or investments, some of which are being funding from federal and state grants. Among his examples were a $44 million increase for the health system, $21.4 million for housing, $6 million for Lift to Rise, and $5 million more for Animal services.
The total budget includes $2.8 billion for health services, $2.3 billion for public safety, $2 billion for human services, and $1.2 billion for public works.
“This is a budget that makes investments that will keep Riverside County a place people want to continue coming to, to live, work, raise their families and enjoy a great quality of life,” said, Supervisor V. Manuel Perez (4th district) and Chair of the Board. “It’s a balance that we ensure we have our folks protected, taken care of and secure, but simultaneously ensuring that we have behavioral health services, social services, housing and infrastructure.”
Gas prices rise as summer begins
By JP Crumrine Correspondent
Gasoline prices have increased since July 1. Two reasons are responsible for the increase. First, the California excise tax will increase 1.6 cents per gallon to 61.2 cents per gallon.
The second reason for the increase is that stricter air pollution rules go into effect on July 1. The California Air Resources Board currently requires carbon emissions to be cut 20 percent by 2030 from the 2010 levels. In 2024, CARB approved a new level of pollution reduction. The new Low-Carbon Fuel Standard requirement is 22.75 percent.
The lower emissions are achieved by blending more expensive clean fuels or buy emissions credits—costs that are expected to be passed on to drivers.
Prior to this increase, the Governor’s press office issued a release which stressed that gas prices last week were 20 cents lower than in May and 17 cents per gallon lower than June 2024.
The Governor’s office also disputes the increase caused by the new LCFS. According to its press release, “Experts at UC Davis estimate this program, first established by Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, could add between 5 and 8 cents per gallon – well below one extreme projection that showed 65 cents.”
The California Department of Tax and Fee Administration Is required to adjust the motor vehicle fuel and diesel fuel excise tax rates on July 1 of each year, based on the percentage change in the California Consumer Price Index, as calculated by the Department of Finance.
There was some increase in gas prices. Drivers can contact the AAA for information on gas prices in the area in order to find lower ones.
As of Monday, June 30, the average cost of a gallon of gasoline in California was $4.594, the highest in the country, compared to the national average of $3.185. A year ago, the average was $4.794. In Riverside County, the average cost was $4.414.
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Sheriff’s log
The Riverside County Sher-
iff’s Department Hemet Station responded to the following calls === IDYLLWILD ===
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Idyllwild Community Center’s Summer Camp’s 3rd Annual “Foodie Week” field trip to Amelia’s Donuts & More is a happy yearly tradition.
PHOTO BY LEO RODRIGUEZ
B SECTION
On the Town
Local Dining, Arts & Entertainment
IDYLLWILD, CA
The Modern Gentlemen headline first night of Summer Concert Series, Lisa Lynn and the Broken Hallelujahs
By David Jerome Correspondent
The 26th season of Idyllwild’s free Summer Concert series begins tonight, Thursday, July 3, with the Modern Gentlemen. Opening for them will be local songbird Terry Jo, backed by Lenny Hansell. On July 10, the Series continues with Lisa Lynn and the Broken Hallelujahs, with In the Pocket opening.
The Modern Gentlemen are four vocalists who backed 50’s sensation Frankie Valli from 2003 to 2018, appearing with him as The Four Seasons and The Jersey Boys. This will be their first visit to Idyllwild. Member Brian Brigham makes the point that all four Gentlemen are “Former long-time members of The Four Seasons,” a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band. The other members are Brian’s brother Brandon Brigham, Landon Beard and Todd Fournier.
Brain credits Valli with the decision to keep working together as modern-day keepers of the classics. “We were all hand-picked by Frankie Valli to join the Four seasons. He brought us into the studio, and brought to our attention we could be our own group, he was always telling us we could. He supported us going out and doing our own thing.” The group has now recorded three albums.
The Modern Gentlemen always include a tribute to Frankie Valli in their program, but cover a wide variety of material: from Motown to The Beach Boys, The Beatles, The Eagles, Queen, The Bee Gees, and Billy Joel.
Next week, on July 10, the music continues with Summer Concert Series veterans, Lisa Lynn and the Broken Hallelujahs. The band is based in Joshua Tree, and they play throughout the Coachella Valley. They have become a staple of our Summer Concerts and have won over Idyllwild audiences with their “rootsy, bluesy, swingy Americana.” They cover classic country, rock, and newer material with an emphasis on female vocalists, and always showcase a few of leader Lisa Lynn Morgan’s originals.
Lisa told the Town Crier last year about her first appearance in Idyllwild in 2017. “It doesn’t ever stop blowing my mind that we get to play this stage. I still remember the first phone call I got from Ken Dalheen … The band was still newly formed, and I was very green when it came to fronting, managing, and booking my own band. Ken and I had not yet met, but he was familiar with the guys that were working with me. Come to think of it, he really went out on a limb when he gave me the chance to be part of his incredibly reputable lineup. When someone gives you a platform like this, it’s more than just a boost to your resume, it’s life changing.”
JULY 3rd
JULY 10th
The Idyllwild Summer Concert series, now in its 26th season, is always free, paid for by contributions from individual and business donors. This year, nine concerts are planned and the fundraising goal is $49,725. Series founder and producer Ken Dahleen tells us that the total so far is ($). Contributions may be mailed to Idyllwild Summer Concerts.org, PO Box
Idyllwild artist Karla Leopold honored by National Association of Women Artists
By David Jerome Correspondent
Local artist Karla Leopold recently won an award for her work, The Whisperer, in a juried exhibition by the National Association of Women Artists, at New York City’s Leonovich Gallery. The Carol A. O’Neill Memorial Award is a new award, named after the recently deceased member of the NAWA’s Awards Committee Leopold describes the NAWA as “a 137-year-old organization founder by 5 women who were unable to show with men or take classes with men, so they started their own association.” It was the first professional women’s fine art organization in the country.
The Whisperer is an assemblage of reclaimed wood, wire, knitted straw, and a metal tag, centered on the face of a Native American woman. “She originated here, with a purchase at Dawn Bush’s second-hand store, the Rustic Sunrise. She was a hanger, an old fashioned wooden hanger, with a very faint picture of a girl on it, you could hardly see her. I embellished her and added the knitting and the wires. She had a number tag on her too, which I love, because they (Native Americans) were given numbers.”
Now the work, along with others honored at the exhibition, will be added to major archives. “She will be archived in the Smithsonian and the Whitney and the Guggenheim, among other places.”
Leopold has lived in Idyllwild for over 40 years and traces her awareness of the history of the first inhabitants of these mountains both to the physical traces they have left here and to the Idyllwild Arts Academy’s Native American Arts programs. “We own a house on the creek. If you look closely there are lots of signs of the Cahuilla. The grinding holes, they used the oaks, and every once in a while you might see an arrowhead. I’ve taken classes at the Arts Academy, classes with the Cahuilla; silversmithing, cooking, storytelling, weaving.”
take the stage at
Lisa Lynn and the Broken Hallelujahs and In the Pocket, Thursday July 10. Butterfield Amphitheater, 54201 Ridgeview Dr.
Terry Jo & Lenny Hansel
Karla Leopold See Leopold, page B4
Puppy Parade
Ryan, Monica, Josephine and Jordan wanted to have a puppy parade for the 4th of July. But the puppies ran off to the neighbor’s home. Can you read the clues to help figure out who owns each puppy?
Ryan and Monica’s puppies are twins. But Monica’s puppy does not have spots. Jordan’s puppy likes wearing costumes, but Josephine’s puppy likes chewing them!
Adult Softball Season Begins; ICC Spring Ping Pong Tournament Winners
By Jophnny Wilson ICC Sprots Director Correspondent
Adult Softball
The 2025 regular season of ICC Adult (Co-ed) Softball league began last Tuesday June 24th after two weeks of practice and scrimmage games. The season runs most of the summer until Friday August 8th.
This year there are 7 teams in the league (up from 5 teams last year). Some returning teams, some returning teams with different sponsors, and some newly formed teams.
The 2024 reigning champions—KIC Construction—is amongst those returning, alongside with BBI Construction and Pure Bean (the latter was just formed last year.)
There are also a couple of teams who have new sponsors: Village Properties (formerly Ajax Rock Company) and Pharos Athletic Club (formerly Pacific Slope Tree Company).
There is also a newly formed team—Artifacts— headed by Coach Mel Norman, and a team which is new to the ICC league: Santa Rosa, coming from the Santa Rosa Reservation.
The games are played at Top Field of the Idyllwild School Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 5:15pm (early game) and 6:30pm (late game).
BBI Construction showed up in their well-known black uniforms and won the season-opener against Village Properties in the early game last Tuesday.
Leopold
continued from B1
Leopold worked for many years as a therapist and continues this work as a volunteer with the Red Cross.
“I am working as a volunteer with the Southern California Chapter of the Red Cross, putting together art kits that will be included in the shelter box, supplies for those seeking shelter. I first got acquainted with the Red Cross in Louisiana responding to Hurricane Katrina. I got called from Washington DC, a woman who knew the work I did, with the HRC (Human Rights Campaign), who said ‘there is nobody helping the children there.’ My specialty as a therapist is trauma. So, she challenged me—I had just closed my private practice—to put together teams of art therapists, and she would find the funding. That began my journey to FEMA’s largest trailer park for survivors of the hurricane. She also partnered me up with a local nun named sister Judith Brun. We provided services on and off for three years for the families. She continues to do that, with the TakeCare (neighborhood revitalization initiative) in Baton Rouge. She went to New York, to the exhibition with me, she is my dear friend now.”
Leopold has work on display at Middle Ridge Winery’s Art Gallery, and a new website, www.karlaleopold.com. The Whisperer can also be seen on the NAWA site at https://thenawa.org/product/karla-leopold-cathe-whisperer/
Pure Bean played well in their blue shirts and took an early lead in the Tuesday late game against the returning champions KIC Construction, however KIC came back in full force and won their first game of the season.
KIC had a double-header this week and played the early game Wednesday against Santa Rosa who sported their slick turquoise and black jerseys.
This was a high-scoring game where KIC took the lead but Santa Rosa kept the score close. In the end it was KIC Construction who came up victorious with a score of 26-15.
In the late game Wednesday, it was Pharos Athletic Club going against Artifacts. For the first time playing together as a team, Artifacts did a great job and held their own - but at the end of the game it was Pharos A.C. who took home the win by a score of 8-6.
Great series of opening games – great job to all coaches, players, and umpires. We will see what is in store next week as Week 2 of the regular season develops. Stay tuned.
CURRENT STANDINGS (as of 06-30-2025)
1. KIC Construction (2 W,
4. Village Properties (0 W, 1 L)
— Abraham Lincoln
Ping Pong (ICC Quarterly Tournament)
The ICC 2025 Spring Ping Pong Tournament was held Saturday June 7th at the Idyllwild Town Hall. This tournament featured live music as the bands of the Idyllwild Earth Fair were playing outside in the backyard area of Town Hall – the lively up-beat music could easily be heard during the games.
The tournament was set in a round robin format where each player plays each contender once (“all play all”).
After the sound of bouncing ping pong balls had faded and the round robin tournament was over, it was Woody Henderson who came out undefeated in 1st place, Glenn McIntyre (a gentleman in his eighties) who took 2nd place, and Johnny Wilson who took 3rd place.
Congratulations to all - hoping to see everyone again in the summer tournament!
(The exact date of the ICC 2025 Summer Ping Pong Tournament is TBA.)
ICC 2025 Spring Ping Pong Tournament winners : 1st place Woody Henderson, 2nd place Glenn McIntyre and 3rd place Johnny Wilson
PHOTO COURTESY OF ICC
Cast of Our Lady of the Freedoms, and some of her Friends create a collage of voices in Old Tyme Radio's latest presentation at Middle Ridge Winery
PHOTO BY PETER SZABADI
The Whisperer was honored at the National Association of Women Artists' juried exhibition in New York City PHOTO COURTESY KARLA LEOPOLD
65 years ago - 1960
Past Tense
75 years ago - 1950 Census counted 604 permanent residents in Idyllwild, Mountain Center and Pine Cove.
70 years ago - 1955 Chamber of Commerce trustees met with California Telephone Co. officials regarding complaints by local business people that they were unable to make off-the-Hill calls. A request was made for more trunk lines.
Eighteen citations were issued by the Forest Service and Sheriff’s officers to 10 Navy men from Chula Vista. The men were cited for an illegal campfire, shooting fireworks and providing alcoholic beverages to minors.
60 years ago - 1965 Don Frandsen was elected head of the Playhouse in the Pines community theater group.
55 years ago - 1970
A Riverside Mountain Rescue Unit helicopter plunged into tree tops while attempting to rescue an injured Boy Scout in Little Round Valley, a camping area near Mt. San Jacinto.
Creature Corner
Last week in Days of Our Nine Lives, the ARF cats welcomed ARF's newest dog, Chappy.
Pepper: Kind of a quiet week here at ARF.
Marlowe: True. All four kittens are still awaiting their forever homes, but their challenges just got a little bigger.
Pepper: What do you mean?
Rowan: She's referring to kitten competition! ARF just took in a new mama cat and her litter.
Pepper: So ARF has even more kittens?
Marlowe: That's right, but this litter isn't ready to go anywhere just yet.
Pepper: Right. They probably need to see the vet and get used to visitors.
Marlowe: But while the new kittens get acclimated, the existing four kittens are ready to go!
Pepper: Those little kittens are so adorable! It is quite entertaining to watch them play with each other.
Rowan: This last weekend
I watched ARF volunteers spending time with them, and the kittens were so friendly!
Marlowe: They will bring joy to any household.
Rowan: And speaking of entertainment, this Friday's July 4 parade will provide plenty.
Pepper: Of course, ARF will be in the parade with their “float” that features the 2025 Pets of the Year winners.
Marlowe: How fun! And volunteers will hand out little gifts to children along the route as well as gifts for dog guardians.
This week's Creature Corner is sponsored by Janey Mason. Would you like to be a sponsor? Please let us know! Be sure to keep up with the animal antics of Days of our Nine Lives each week. And please stop in to say hello to the entire adoptable cast at the ARF House, 26890 Hwy 243. ARF is open Saturdays 10-3, Sundays 10-2, and during the week by appointment. Please call 951-659-1122.
50 years ago - 1975
The Woodland Park Manor Motel on South Circle Drive was sold by Mr. and Mrs. Ken Gooding to Mr. and Mrs. Jim Wyllie.
45 years ago - 1980
Thousand Trails Inc. purchased the 190-acre Wilderness Pines recreational facility in Pine Cove.
40 years ago - 1985
The Community Recycling Center was reopened on Highway 243.
35 years ago - 1990
The California Highway Patrol began 24-hour coverage of the Hill with a 90day test period that would help determine the extent of future coverage, according to Norval Stacy, public affairs officer for the CHP Banning office.
30 years ago - 1995
In the Making America Safe Essay Contest, Sean Townsend, 15, of Idyllwild, was chosen as one of the five national grand prize winners in the 15- to 18-year-old category.
25 years ago - 2000
Another cellular company opened shop on the Hill. Verizon Wireless, formerly Airtouch Cellular, completed construction of its transmission equipment on Pine Cove Water District property, and officially began service.
20 years ago - 2005
Idyllwild and Pine Cove water districts raised their water rates — IWD by 15 percent and PCWD by 10 percent. Both agencies took the action to help offset property tax revenue
lost from the state budget negotiations from the previous summer.
15 years ago - 2010
Twenty-one Idyllwild young people became paid interns through the federally funded Summer Work Experience. They worked for local businesses that had applied to host and mentor the interns.
11 year ago - 2014
Another local pet fell victim to a rattlesnake bite in Idyllwild. Nancy and Steve Carter contacted the Town Crier to advise that a rattlesnake had bitten their 7-and-a-half-year-old Red Boston terrier, Rosie, in the eye.
10 years ago - 2015
American Medical Response (AMR) officially took over ambulance ser-
vice for Pine Cove and surrounding areas, launching 24/7 coverage with new equipment and a local station as part of a new contract with Riverside County.
5 years ago - 2020
Black Mountain Road near Idyllwild reopened after storm-related repairs were completed, though some campgrounds remain closed due to hazardous conditions and gathering restrictions.
1 years ago - 2024
The Idyllwild Water District appointed Bill Rojas as the new General Manager during an emotional two-day meeting that also honored interim GM Curt Sauer for his transformative leadership over the past four and a half months.
Churches & Spiritual Centers Directory
Idyllwildof
Idyllwild Town Crier, July 11th 1985, edition
AAI Summer Kickoff Brings the Heat — and the Heart — to Idyllwild
Press Release
The Art Alliance of Idyllwild (AAI) welcomed summer with open arms at its Summer Kickoff on Saturday, June 28th — a vibrant, community-powered celebration filled with music, creativity, and connection.
Held at Idyllwild Town Hall, the free, family-friendly event drew locals and visitors alike to celebrate the season and support the arts. Guests enjoyed an afternoon of live music, including standout performances by Lindsay Speed and Friends and Pentagrams and Daisies, whose infectious energy and talent helped set the tone for a memorable day.
“This event captured everything we love about Idyllwild — art, music, and community,” said Haleigh Lavy, President of the Art Alliance. “It was inspiring to see so many people come together in support of local artists and the creative spirit of the mountain.”
A highlight of the event was a judged art show, with all exhibited pieces raffled off to attendees. Winners were announced in four categories:
2D Art
1st Place: Trudy Adler – [Untitled Painting]
2nd Place: Jessica Schiffman – Snow
3rd Place: Donna Elliott – Stormy Sky
Honorable Mention: Emily Bishop – Golden Hour 3D
3D Art
1st Place: Art Tobias – Landscape with Power Lines
2nd Place: Helen Hixon – Unzipped
3rd Place: Sandi Austin – Kaleidoscope
Honorable Mention: Eilene Sinnigen – Focus on the Good Photography
1st Place: Lynn Eodice – Sunbeams Over Sedona
2nd Place: Anthony Jones – Grayson
3rd Place: Bill Sperling – Hiding Out
Honorable Mention: Donna Elliott – Milky Way, Courtright Reservoir
Wearable Art
1st Place: Terrie Burian – Froggy Ice
2nd Place: Virginia Ann Holt – Purple Passion
3rd Place: Emily Burton – Regrowth
Honorable Mention: Sherry Kintworth – Busy Bee of Summer Best of Show
Leslie Wolcott – Summer Cabin
The event also included a silent auction featuring artwork from AAI member artists and generous donations from local businesses — all to benefit and support the local arts community.
What’s Next: The AAI Home Studio Tour
Mark your calendars! AAI’s next event is the Home Studio Tour, which will showcase over half a dozen private home studios from local Idyllwild artists. Each stop will include local vendors — some with live music and refreshments — offering visitors a unique, behind-the-scenes look at where art is made. The day concludes with a lively after-party at the Art Garden, featuring even more vendors, beer and wine, and live music.
For more information, to get involved, or to sign up as a vendor for the Home Studio Tour, please email us at idartsinidyllwild@gmail.com.
Stay up to date on all upcoming events and opportunities by visiting: https://aai.clubexpress.org
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Best of Show winner - Leslie Wolcott “Summer Cabin
