The Creek Path, then and now
By David Jerome Correspondent
Readers have asked us about the changes to the path along Strawberry Creek, following its purchase by Dave Butterfield and the work by Shane Stewart to make it more accessible. Many residents were unaware that the path existed until these changes brought it to their attention. The path is now Idyllwild’s most inviting nature path. While the hiking trails around our valley lead through awe-inspiring vistas, the creek path is a stroll through nature at its most intimate and idyllic.
Free Summer Concert Series continues with ABBA LA this week, next week The Tokens ..PAGE B1
Another record year for Mutual Aid at Idyllwild Fire
..PAGE A3
Headline Author and historian Steve Lech to talk about new book about the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway’s long journey from concept to reality, and the fight against it
..PAGE A4
Reader’s Write
..PAGE A5
The creek path was a part of the earliest visions that developers put forward for the valley. The following draws from articles in the Town Crier written by Bob Smith, former director of the Idyllwild Area Historical Society, founder of their archive, and author of a number of books and many articles on Idyllwild’s history Frank Strong and George Dickinson (note the spelling: Dickenson Drive unfortunately memorializes a misspelling) bought the Idyllwild Inn and 5,250 acres in 1905 from Walter Lindley, who stayed on at the Inn to manage it as minority owner. In 1911 Strong and Dickinson became sole owners, and reorganized as Idyllwild Mountain Park Co. Their plans for the land included a large playground on the creek below Fern Valley, and a number of pedestrian or equestrian trails.
They in turn sold most of the land, and the unrealized vision, to Claudius Lee Emerson around 1918. They remained in possession of much of Fern Valley
The Idyllwild Area Historical Society displays maps of Emerson’s plans that included a lake north of present-day Tollgate Road. The only reminder of this is a street name, Lake Lane. Emerson’s plan also included a number of pedestrian or equestrian paths, survivals from Strong and Dickinson’s plans.
See Creek, page A4
LA Times puts Idyllwild at top of list for dog-friendly weekend getaways
By David Jerome Correspondent
This last week the Los Angeles Times published a list of eight weekend getaways for pet lovers, and put Idyllwild at the top of the list. The other destinations were: Santa Barbara, Morro Bay, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Ojai, San Diego, Palm Springs, and Big Bear Lake.
The article praised Idyllwild for its unhurried pace, artistic vibes, cafes and “trails that beg for a meandering walk with your dog.” The story named Tahquitz Pines, Café Aroma, and the Ernie Maxwell Scenic Trail, mentioning the trail’s “sweeping views, shaded paths and lots of spots to stop and sniff.”
Christine Pyo joins FVWD Board
By JP Crumrine Correspondent
Christine Pyo is the newest Fern Valley Water District director. The Board chose her to replace former Director Robert Krieger. He resigned on June 1 and Pyo, the only applicant, was unanimously approved at the Board’s July 17 meeting.
After visiting and vacationing in Idyllwild for several years, she and her husband, Ted Kim, bought a house in Fern Valley in 2023. They both grew up in Orange County and were familiar with the Hill, especially Idyllwild Arts, before becoming residents.
“There was something special about Idyllwild that kept drawing us in.” Pyo said.
After high school, Pyo earned her bachelor’s degree in music education at the University of California, Los Angeles. While she has played the flute since grade school and considered becoming a classical flutist, her musical talent took her in another direction.
“I realized that I wanted to help people,” she declared. Thus, her talent became a benefit for many other people.
After UCLA, she
moved to the East Coast and received a master’s degree in music therapy from New York University.
In New York, she was a board-certified music therapist and helped many. She has worked with elderly people who suffered from dementia or Alzheimer’s, but mostly with children under stress or disabilities.
“This was really rewarding,” she added. But the problems she had to confront daily were sad and after five years, she moved into administrative and management positions. During this period, she had to make presentations to the organization’s board.
She and Kim have been married for 14 years
and in 2018, they grew tired of New York and returned to Southern California.
“Our families were still here and were visiting California, at least, once a year,” Pyo explained. “Teddy’s parents were older and I have a single mom. We decided to put family first. It was time to rethink my career and find something else here.”
In July 2019, she became a senior manager at Optum, United health Group and over the next few years, she became the director of patient experience. COVID occurred and more work was at home. As normality began to return, she continued to do some work from home. During this period, she and Kim rented in Idyllwild and began spending more time in Idyllwild.
“Work became more corporate and that wasn’t my path anymore,” she continued. “This was an opportunity to get breathing space. Visiting Idyllwild, I was seeking more guidance about what am I doing with my life.
See Pyo, page A6
Christine Pyo
Strawberry Creek with new path
PHOTO BY DAVID JEROME
Another record year for Mutual Aid at Idyllwild Fire
By David Jerome Correspondent
With the close of the financial year, Idyllwild Fire Protection District Chief Mark LaMont’s report showed a record-breaking $4,666,858 in Mutual Aid invoices, with all but $206,293 paid. This is almost double last year’s number, which was also a record. It is now an axiom that we no longer speak of “fire season,” and this winter’s urban firestorms, just a few hours’ drive away, are part of our new normal.
LaMont spoke of a recent visit to the Cranston Fire burn scar, remembering how the fire took 15 minutes to run the slope in 2018. The fuels are now seven years old, “they are continuous, but not as robust as before the fire, they are not overhead, not solid.” This is an area he would hope to “re-engage” soon. This corridor he called an “Achilles heel” as it surrounds Strawberry Creek as it falls towards the San Jacinto River. The usual diurnal winds from the south west also tend to push fire up that canyon from the highway, he added.
LaMont said he had met with the facilities manager of the Idyllwild Arts Academy, which is situated where the creek leaves our valley. The manager was hoping for a letter of recommendation as the Academy seeks grant funding to improve the fire breaks on their land. Of the three sides of the grounds being considered, LaMont said he urged priority for the west, with south and northeast less urgent. The project being considered would add 200 feet of fuels reduction and another 200 feet of shaded fuel break to the Forest Service’s existing 300 foot wide project.
LaMont said that there was no window during which fuels on the Bear Trap fuel break could be burned this year.
Crews have been working on the Idyllwild Right of Way project, starting at MM 1.2 on Highway 243, just above Mountain Center. They will be cutting vegetation 60 feet on each side of the highway. The work will continue all the way to Franklin Drive, and also treat the major roads in Idyllwild: Double View, Fern Valley Road, Foster Lake Road, Franklin Drive North and South Circle Drive, Riverside County Playground Road,Saunders Meadow Road, and Toll Gate Road.
Pine Crest, LaMont noted, was not included in the grant proposal, “but that doesn’t mean we won’t go out and do some cutting,” although this would be paid for with IFPD funds.
The chief said that the inspection of the roads to be treated has shown that many property owners have come to think of the right of way as part of their property. Some parcels include the land up to the street, but others do not, and even with those parcels that extend to the asphalt there is an easement. Some owners build fences up to the edge of the street. Others use native trees to create a dense hedgerow. Firemen want to see a clear understory, and IFPD intends to trim up to 12 feet above ground. “Clear egress” is LaMont’s watchword for the project.
LaMont referred to highway 243 as a “massive community refuge area” where evacuees could shelter if fire closes the highway outside of the valley. The Chief said that he and Chief Fogle had done some calculations and found that the highway and its shoulders could accommodate eight vehicles per parcel within IFPD’s jurisdiction if used as a temporary shelter.
Commssioner Stephanie Yost asked about the possibility of volunteers helping with the project, and LaMont agreed that some of the lighter work might be appropriate for non-IFPD groups.
The largest single purchase budgeted within the grant is a masticator, and LaMont is considering asking the board for 20 to 30 thousand dollars above the grant funds to purchase an “articulated boom” masticator instead of a skid steer model. A skid steer, he said, would
tip over on steep grades, and the articulated boom could masticate trees otherwise unreachable. The Chief said he had scheduled visits to dealers to inspect the two types of machine and would return to the board if he thought the more expensive unit worthwhile. With the final round of inspections for abatement compliance finished, of 3829 properties, the Chief’s report counted 270 failed and 71 citations mailed out. Yost asked about homeowners who are cited after the several rounds of inspections for abatement compliance. Are these absentee owners? LaMont that they are a “mixed bag.” Some, he said, feel targeted, and IFPD receives a “litany” of phone calls each year about the inspections, 500-800. Some 150-200 don’t believe they should have to comply with the ordinance, and object to new, tighter regulations. IFPD can’t do the work of private contractors but can hire a contractor and put a lien on the property, but these may take decades to be repaid, and so this is a last resort.
Commissioner Sawicki, noting the recent deadly floods in Texas, brought up the long-languishing project to complete the installation of emergency sirens in Idyllwild. One was installed at IFPD’S station, but two more were planned, one at Fern Valley Water’s facility and another on land adjacent to Idyllwild Arts Academy. Sawicki said he saw parallels between Idyllwild and Kerr County, Texas. Both have many tourists and camps with young people. Both have talked about installing sirens to alert locals and visitors to an emergency, but the efforts stalled due to budget considerations. Sawicki noted “all the finger pointing” following the loss of life and said, “you don’t want to be in the same situation where you didn’t do all you could have done.”
LaMont gave a brief history and status report on the project. The County Supervisors had approved money for a system of sirens to cover the mountain plateau six years ago, but the funding was lost in the budget process. IFPD, with the cooperation of FVWD, decided to jump in and get one siren up. The price was bargained down from $57,000 to $30,000. A company that operates cranes, in gratitude for IFPD’s role in saving the life of one of their employees, donated the pole installation service. FVWD helped with the site preparation and installation. The final cost, including electrical service was $33,000. LaMont estimated that at present prices the sirens would probably cost $46,000 to $52,000.
If IFPD were to go it alone, LaMont said, the permitting process would also be streamlined. He noted that in July IFPD received 3 RFIs (Requests for Information) from FEMA regarding the proposed siren sites; things like bird nesting, vegetation and soil testing, and archaeological sites within the proposed sirens’ radii. IFPD, the chief went on, has sovereignty within its district and authority to address its “broad responsibility for public safety.” This authority, he said, came from 201 rights()
Commissioner Dennis Fogle opined that since the Sheriff’s Office has responsibility for evacuations, the County should take some responsibility for funding the sirens. Idyllwild Water District was mentioned as another potential partner: water districts may use sirens for boil-water warnings and other emergencies related to their infrastructure. Sawicki came back to the urgency of the need, and the unexpected income from Mutual Aid calls during the last financial year. LaMont agreed to speak with relevant stakeholders, including supervisor Perez and the County Emergency Management Department, and see what commitments he could obtain, and have answers about cost before a special meeting, to be held no later than August 15.
Another subject LaMont treated was IFPDs practice of sending out crews to man Cal Fire and USFS stations when those stations are responding to fires. During the recent Fobes Fire in Garner Valley, for example, he said that while the fire did not threaten IFPD’s jurisdiction, stations without engines in Keenwild or Alandale do impact overall readiness on the mountain, and as long as he has personnel that can be called to duty, he strives to keep all stations ready to respond by sending engines and crews.
At this meeting, LaMont had a copy of the Mountain Area Safety Taskforce (MAST) master plan. This, as he has noted before, is not public because of the threat of arson and other terrorist acts. The document is a large format, tabloid-sized book that includes not only evacuation routes and Community Refuge Areas, but also detailed guides to responding to fires in every zone inside and around our communities, a “Field Manual.” As an example, he pointed to a west ridge zone and counted the assets called for to stop a fire approaching from that direction: the number of engines, tenders, bulldozers, hand crews, aerial assets, etc. It also catalogs canyons and creeks that might serve as fire vias, the capacity of nearby hydrants, the best travel routes to deployment areas, and nearby staging areas. These facts and figures are all gathered from past experience.
The next scheduled meeting is Tuesday, September 23, with a special meeting likely in August.
Idyllwild Weather
Eighth Democrat enters challenge to unseat Calvert
ByJP Crumrine Correspondent
Katherine Aleman is the eighth Democrat to announce a challenge to incumbent U.S. Representative Ken Calvert, who represents California’s 41st District, which includes the Hill communities.
Katherine Aleman
On July 21, Aleman, a public school teacher and former Norco City Council member, said in her announcement, “I’m running for Congress because working families deserve a representative who has walked in their shoes –someone who’s balanced a household budget, worked hard, started a small business, and fought to take care of our kids, families, and veterans.”
She is a Southern California native and, according to her statement, attended schools in the Inland Empire. She graduated from the University of California, Davis. She earned a degree in science and was also an All-American swimmer.
She is a former Peace Corps worker, who served in Paraguay. Aleman teaches at Raney Intermediate School in Corona. Besides teaching and politics, she and her family raise chickens and run an egg stand.
In 2020, she was elected to the Norco City Council, but she lost her reelection bid in November 2024.
While a member of the Council, her focus was a balanced city budget. In addition, she championed efforts to build affordable housing for veterans, lower utility rates for working families, expand the city’s small business loan program, fund public safety, tackle homelessness, improve streets and roads, and enhance local parks and green spaces, according to her website.
“I’m running for Congress because Washington isn’t working for us,” she said in her announcement. “They’re driving costs up and cutting healthcare.”
While Aleman is the latest of eight Democrats seeking the nomination to challenge Calvert, she has already received endorsements from several noted local Democrats, including former U.S. Senator, Barbara Boxer, State Senator Sabrina Cervantes and Riverside County Board of Supervisors member, Jose Medina.
Her competition for the Democratic nomination includes Jason Byors, Abel Chavez, Anuj Dixit, David Karson, Ferguson Porter, Brandon Riker and Tiffanie Tate.
Ken Calvert first won election to the U.S. Congress in 1992. In his last six elections, since 2012, Calvert captured a minimum of 56 percent of the vote cast. In two of those, he garnered more than 60 percent. In 1992, his first election, he received only 46.7 percent of the vote. Since then he has always had 50 percent of the voter or more.
On her website, she describes the issues on which she will focus as a candidate. As a teacher and a working mother, she says she understands the financial pressures Inland Empire families are under. In Congress, she’ll fight to bring down the cost of living, keep health care affordable and available to families who rely on it, and make sure the Inland Empire has a fresh voice for change in Washington.
The 41st primary will take place June 2, 2026. The top two vote-getters, regardless of party, will advance to the Nov. 3, 2026 General Election.
Since Aleman announced after the June 30 deadline for the latest Federal Election Commission campaign finance report, she will make her first report for the September 30 period.
Highlights & Safety Tips:
• Expect steady sunny skies and very warm to hot daytime highs, peaking in the upper 80s to around 90°F by midweek.
• Sunday (8/3) and Wednesday (8/6) offer the hottest stretches, with highs at 90°F.
• Relief overnight: Cooler temperatures drop into the low 50s on several nights (e.g., Saturday/Sunday), offering refreshing reprieve.
• Hazy sun on Saturday (8/2) and Monday (8/4) suggests possible monsoonal moisture or wildfire smoke haze—not rain.
• Minimal chance of rain throughout the week; conditions remain dry and summery across the Idyllwild region.
Headline Author and historian Steve Lech to talk about new book about the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway’s long
journey from concept to reality, and the fight against it
By David Jerome Correspondent
Riverside County historian Steve Lech will be giving a talk at the Library based on his latest book, Crocker’s Folly – The Development of, and Opposition to, the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, on Saturday August 2, from 2p.m. to 4 p.m. The event is also the annual meeting of the Idyllwild Area Historical Society, and is free and open to the public.
Lech’s books have looked at Riverside County’s history from many different perspectives: one focused on vintage postcards, another on regional parks, and yet another on the Pines to Palms Highway. He has been a docent at the historic Mission Inn hotel for 35 years and is past chair of the Riverside County Historical Commission and the City of Riverside’s Cultural Heritage Board. He told the Town Crier that he is a member of about 25 area historical societies county-wide. He also has co-written the Press Enterprise’s “Back in the Day” column since 2012.
Lech told the Town Crier that the idea for the Tram began in the 1930s, with the project fading in and out of view, and changing in scale and conception, until its opening in 1963. The story of the journey is one of the conflict between developers and what we now call conservationists. The project led right into the heart of the newly-created San Jacinto Mountain State Park. Early plans included a hotel and restaurant at the top, and the infrastructure for a ski resort in Round Valley: ski and toboggan runs and lifts. “The Tram was just a way to get people up there.”
Lech added that opposition from Idyllwilders came after WWII, as the community became more populous and concerned about encroachments like the proposed ski resort. The story of the Tramway’s journey from proposal to completion is one of technical challenges and progress, and of the various groups emerging to oppose it. Lech notes that “there was sustained opposition… that was very close to being successful.”
Town Crier founder Ernie Maxwell wrote about the project many times. In 1950 he wrote that the local Chamber of Commerce had voted to give its “unqualified endorsement” to the plan. A director of the state-created Winter Park Authority was quoted as saying that Idyllwild was the only community in the County that had not yet adopted a friendly attitude toward the project. A 1954 letter to the editor from Harry James (the namesake for the UC Natural Reserve System’s James Reserve) noted that winter sports experts had judged the site unsuitable for a winter sports resort, and vowed that his group, Trailfinders, would continue to oppose the project because it would “give proponents of the tramway almost complete control of Mt. San Jacinto State Park.”
By 1960, in Maxwell’s Press Enterprise column “Emax’s Outdoor Look,” he was recounting the various agencies and contracts that had come and gone, with the project at last seeming likely, and “hints that opposition will have little or nothing to say about the deal.”
Author Steve Lech talks about his new book, Crocker’s Folly – The Development of, and Opposition to, the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, at the Idyllwild Library, Saturday August 2, from 2p.m. to 4 p.m
Idyllwilders Alois & Penelope Smrz on summit of 14,229’ Mt. Shavano, Colorado.
PHOTO COURTESY OF COURTNEY SCHWARTZ
“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:
I started a small business a couple years ago but it isn’t quite going the way I was hoping it would. I have about the right number of weekly clients but it’s awful to say, I don’t like most of the clients I have. They tend to be whiners and they nickel-and-dime me even though they know I am a one-man-band and they can afford my services many times over. I want to get rid of all of them and start over but at the same time I am afraid of losing them and the income they provide. Can SW help?
Dear Reader: SW for Artists & Entrepreneurs (one of my favorite constituencies) to the rescue! Your circumstance is not uncommon and might not get resolved overnight but there are two things to do immediately. The first is to change the belief, underneath it all, that your current clients are the source of your income. They aren’t. Source is source, yes? Thus, your current clients are vessels through which some dollars find their way to you and there are infinite vessels…so there’s that. The second is to create an intention for the kinds of clients you want to work with. Something like “I love my clients; they respect me and my work, show up on time, and readily afford and organically promote my services to others.” These ideas aren’t everything, but they’re excellent next steps.
Dear Spiritual Workout:
I’ve been practicing things like SW for some time and my life is much improved. I’m also at one of those points where I see very clearly (now) some old beliefs I have that have created a lot of unpleasantness (I’m not the one they want; I’m number two; I’m always in the shadow). And I have some beliefs to replace them. But the old ones aren’t letting go and I can’t quite get any momentum behind the new ones and I want to know how to do that.
Dear Reader:
. Well this is right up the alley of SW so I say with confidence…keep going because you’re halfway there. Since you are well aware of the beliefs you’re letting go of and the one(s) you’re taking on, it’s time to address the resistance to letting go that is clearly at play. It’s counterintuitive, but it’s quite common for us to actually resist letting go of what we know, intellectually, we are eager to let go of. The root of that is identity (e.g., who will I be without these non-serving beliefs?) and, often, also responsibility (e.g., what will I be made responsible for if I believe what I’m wanting to believe?). In SW, we do that by talking about the resistance while simultaneously employing E.F.T./“tapping.” In this way, we acknowledge and accept (vs. judge and resist) the resistance, which softens and ameliorates it. From this place of neutral, more or less, we shift into gear of the new beliefs and momentum builds. You said you’ve done a fair amount of this kind of work and your challenge/question is evidence of your good work.
• 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
When our grandchildren ask what we did about climate change, lets have an answwer
Dear editor:
Recently we have read about devastation from wildfires and strong storms. Climate scientists say we will see more as a result of climate change.
To reduce air pollution that causes climate change we must reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Senator Lindsey Graham said, “CO2 emissions generated by man is creating our greenhouse gas effect that traps heat, and the planet is warming.”
Our government needs to do much more to promote clean energy, such as wind, solar, and geothermal, and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. This includes restoring tax credits for clean energy--not reducing them.
I encourage readers to email their U.S. Senators and Representative. Joining Citizens’ Climate Lobby and similar groups is another great way to fight climate change.
Make earth great again. There is no planet B.
When our grandchildren ask what we did about climate change, let’s have an answer.
Gary Jump
Defensible space starts with you, And MCFSC is here to help
By Callie Squires Executive Director, Mountain Communities Fire Safe Council
Living in the San Jacinto Mountains means we’re surrounded by natural beauty, but it also means we live in a wildfire-prone environment. With steep slopes, dense vegetation, and a changing climate, it’s not a matter of if a wildfire will come through—it’s when. The good news? We know what works to mitigate the risk of losing it all. In recent fires like the Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire, homes with defensible space and basic home hardening survived, even when surrounded by scorched terrain. Firefighters were able to defend those properties, while neighboring homes without those measures were lost; the difference was preparation.
Defensible space isn’t about turning your yard into a moon scape. It’s about smart, strategic clearing. Remove dead vegetation, create spacing between trees and shrubs, clean gutters and roofs, and keep flammable materials away from decks and structures. These actions can slow the spread of fire, protect firefighters working to defend your property, and often determine whether a home survives a wildfire.
And the great news is that you don’t have to do it
all on your own! The Mountain Communities Fire Safe Council (MCFSC) has grant funding available to assist homeowners. Through support from CAL FIRE, MCFSC can cover up to 75% of the cost of eligible wildfire mitigation work, including defensible space clearing and removal of dead or dying trees on your property. The remaining 25% is the homeowner’s responsibility, and all work is done by licensed, insured contractors—no need to manage the project yourself.
Getting started is easy: just contact MCFSC to request a free property assessment. Our team will walk your land with you, identify hazards, and create a project plan.
Every home that’s better prepared helps make the entire community safer. Fire doesn’t stop at property lines. Your defensible space protects your neighbors—and theirs protects you. Let’s take action together now, not after the sirens start.
For more information or to schedule your free assessment, visit www. mcfsc.org or call us at (951) 659-6208.
Thank you for being part of a safer, more resilient community.
Creek continued from A1
Strong and Dickinson sent manager Rollin Humber to take over the Idyllwild Mountain Park project in 1939. They were now in competition with Gerald “Jerry” Johnson’s downtown Idyllwild All-Year Resort Co. Emerson lost his real estate to Bankruptcy in 1936, and Johnson and two partners picked up 320 acres of raw land, 150 subdivided lots, and various other businesses including the Village Market. At the end of WWII, the time was right for selling mountain real estate, and the growing population of Southern California brought buyers.
Johnson’s subdivision left a string of irregularly shaped parcels encompassing the creek bed and banks in the name of Idyllwild All Year Resort. The path was a privately owned commons, a path for all to enjoy, with no real legal framework, just a promise to purchasers of land and homes, a promise that, with the passage of time, many were unaware of. The land passed down within the Johnson family. The creek path was allowed to go wild; little maintenance was done, fallen trees were left in place. The creek changed its course naturally or due to human interference. Access slowly became more difficult as more fences appeared.
Last year Jay Johnson, Jerry’s grandson, began to look at the possibility of transferring the property to a land conservancy. This fell through, and Dave Butterfield and his partner Shane Stewart picked up the parcels, which are now owned by Idycreek LLC. Stewart went to work making the path once again an easy walk. This work began between the Brewpub and the Strawberry Creek Inn. This year the portion just above Village Center Drive, which had been overgrown with blackberries–according to Jay, Klamath County transplants introduced by his father Jim–was opened up, and the work continued all the way to Fern Valley Corners and the property formerly known as Idyology, or to old-timers, the Chart House.
The project was not without detractors. Some owners of creek-side property had become used to thinking of the creek as part of their back yards and did not look kindly on tourists or Brewpub patrons taking a stroll so close to their homes. At least one resident has posted “no trespassing signs” and marked their property lines in a section where the creek’s present bed leaves no room for a path without trespass. With summer water levels it is easy to step from boulder to boulder, but it remains to be seen how this will play out.
Stewart has published a Mission Statement for the project on the Idyllwild.com website, which we quote here:
“Our mission is to restore, preserve, and maintain the Strawberry Creek Community Pathway by nurturing its natural landscapes for current and future generations. We are dedicated to maintaining a vibrant, accessible space where people can connect with nature, honor the environment’s resilience, and protect the creek’s pristine charter through mindful stewardship and lasting care.
Rules for Use:
Use of the Pathway is at your own risk as it is not monitored, and there are no restrooms. Although the Pathway is mostly flat, it does have areas that require minor hiking skills to go over rocks and between trees. Users must be respectful and quiet as residents live along the Pathway’s edge. The Pathway is available daily year-round, from sunup to sundown, for walking, jogging, exercising, sightseeing, mountain biking, and general enjoyment. Users are responsible for their own possessions, including trash; whatever you bring in, you MUST take out. To help keep the Pathway safe and enjoyable, we ask that if you see any trash, please pick it up. Loitering or other usage after hours is prohibited and there is absolutely NO camping at any time anywhere along the Pathway or creek. As the Pathway is private property and abuts the private property of residents, public gatherings other than for expressly permitted purposes are prohibited. Adult supervision is required for all children under age 12. Pets must be leashed at all times and you must pick up after your pet. Use of alcohol, drugs, and smoking or vaping of any substance is forbidden, as is amplified sound or music, vending, weapons, or fighting. Cell service is very good along the pathway.”
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County and Sheriff respond to Grand Jury report on Inmate’s death
By JP Crumrine Correspondent
Last week, the Board of Supervisors and the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department responded to an April 30 Grand Jury report on an in-custody homicide in the County jail system last fall.
The Report identified several faults and failings in the procedures during the September 2024 booking and processing of a person arrested and taken to Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside to be jailed.
The Sheriff’s Department agreed with several of the findings and recommendations and “wholly” disagreed with some findings.
But the Department did admit that a mistake led to the inmate’s death. “. . . improperly updating the identity of the inmate was the single factor in the incident.”
Essentially, the inmate was booked into the system under a different name. There was a failure to verify his name and identification and share that information with all staff.
By being wrongly booked, he was classified as a medium danger for jail housing. This enabled him to be eligible to go to the County’s Site-B, where inmates are offered training and education.
While using Site-B’s less restrictive activities, this inmate encountered and apparently assaulted another inmate with a deadly weapon. The victim was transported to a hospital but eventually died from these injuries.
The Sheriff’s Office disagreed with several findings
Sheriff’s
log
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department Hemet Station responded to the following calls
=== IDYLLWILD ===
-- Friday July 11, 2025 -22:16:00 – SUSPICIOUS VEHICLE –
00:01:00 – PUBLIC DISTURBANCE – 2400 *** BLOCK FERN VALLEY RD
-- Tuesday July 15, 2025 -20:27:00 – PUBLIC ASSIST –5300 *** BLOCK MEADOW DR 15:39:00 – PETTY THEFT – 5400 *** BLOCK NORTH CIRCLE DR 15:22:00 – CHECK THE WELFARE – 2600 *** BLOCK DELANO DR
-- Wednesday July 16, 2025 -10:34:00 – TRESPASSING – 5400 *** BLOCK NORTH CIRCLE DR
-- Thursday July 17, 2025 -23:24:00 – BURGLARY – 2500 *** BLOCK SCENIC DR
that asserted that staff later took incorrect action or inadequate verification. The problem was the initial identification was wrong, but later decisions and actions were handled according to proper procedures, but with this wrong information.
However, the Sheriff noted that its policy on housing inmates had been revised to ensure that LiveScan data has been received and verified before placing an inmate in housing.
The Board agreed that in 2023, it had approved a contract with “. . . a consulting firm to assess, procure, and implement new technology for [the Sheriff’s] Computer Aided Dispatch, Record Management System, and Jail Information Management Systems.”
The Board’s responded that it expects this work, including necessary upgrades, to be completed in 2027.
Most of the recommendations on policy changes were addressed. The Sheriff’s Department did object to several recommendations regarding specific training. The RSO responded that it was not necessary because the skills from the training were part of the training for the position or staff would have gotten as part of preparation for the position.
The Sheriff’s Department response stated, “In conclusion and with all due respect for the findings, the Sheriff’s Office believes there was a single error which contributed to this incident, not the cumulative ten findings contained within the report. While the issues noted indicated room for improvement with our process and were addressed with revised policies and training . . “
PHONE CALLS – ADDRESS
WITHHELD
-- Tuesday July 22, 2025 -11:24:00 – AREA CHECK – ADDRESS UNDEFINED
16:29:00 – ASSIST OTHER DEPARTMENT – 2600 *** BLOCK DELANO DR -- Tuesday July 29, 2025 -07:37:00 – FOLLOW-UP – ADDRESS WITHHELD
-- Monday July 28, 2025 -02:14:00 – SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCE – 2300 *** BLOCK ST HWY 243
-- Thursday July 17, 2025 -22:05:00 – ASSIST OTHER DEPARTMENT – ADDRESS UNDEFINED
15:01:00
– PETTY THEFT – 5500 *** BLOCK CIRCLE WY 10:13:00 – UNKNOWN TROUBLE
08:08:00 – SUSPICIOUS PERSON – 5400 *** BLOCK VILLAGE CENTER DR
-- Sunday July 13, 2025 -12:25:00 – AREA CHECK – ADDRESS UNDEFINED
-- Monday July 14, 2025 -19:39:00 – NARCOTICS – ADDRESS UNDEFINED
13:08:00 – ALARM CALL – 5400 *** BLOCK MARIAN VIEW DR
12:55:00 – VANDALISM – 5400 *** BLOCK NORTH CIRCLE DR
10:56:00 – FOLLOW-UP – ADDRESS WITHHELD
02:01:00 – ALARM CALL – 2700 *** BLOCK SAUNDERS MEADOW RD
01:38:00 – PUBLIC DISTURBANCE – 2400 *** BLOCK FERN VALLEY RD
13:28:00 – ALARM CALL – 2400 *** BLOCK PIONEER RD
-- Friday July 18, 2025 -15:42:00 – HAZARD – 5300 *** BLOCK TOLL GATE RD 11:55:00 – PUBLIC DISTURBANCE – 5400 *** BLOCK NORTH CIRCLE DR
-- Saturday July 19, 2025 -21:42:00 – NOISE COMPLAINT –ADDRESS UNDEFINED
-- Sunday July 20, 2025 -20:36:00 – NOISE COMPLAINT –2500 *** BLOCK ST HWY 243
12:41:00 – ALARM CALL – ADDRESS UNDEFINED
10:28:00 – CHECK THE WELFARE – ADDRESS UNDEFINED
-- Monday July 21, 2025 -16:40:00 – SUICIDE THREAT –ADDRESS WITHHELD
11:00:00 – FOLLOW-UP – ADDRESS WITHHELD 00:38:00 – HARRASSING
-- Wednesday July 23, 2025 -14:22:00 – FOLLOW-UP – ADDRESS WITHHELD
-- Thursday July 24, 2025 -22:41:00 – PETTY THEFT – 2600 *** BLOCK ST HWY 243 15:47:00 – NOISE COMPLAINT –5400 *** BLOCK PINE CREST AV 04:34:00 – ALARM CALL – 2600 *** BLOCK ST HWY 243
-- Friday July 25, 2025 -19:40:00 – PUBLIC DISTURBANCE – 5300 *** BLOCK TOLL GATE RD
14:41:00 – SUSPICIOUS VEHICLE – 2600 *** BLOCK CRESTVIEW DR 07:51:00 – SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCE – ADDRESS UNDEFINED
01:52:00 – BATTERY – 2500 *** BLOCK ST HWY 243
-- Saturday July 26, 2025 -23:22:00 – NOISE COMPLAINT –2500 *** BLOCK ST HWY 243
13:52:00 – SUSPICIOUS CIR-
CUMSTANCE – ADDRESS UNDEFINED -- Sunday July 27, 2025 --
23:32:00 – OVERDOSE – 2600 *** BLOCK HEMSTREET PL
21:31:00 – LOST HIKER – ADDRESS UNDEFINED
12:36:00 – PUBLIC DISTURBANCE – 2600 *** BLOCK DELANO DR
-- Monday July 28, 2025 --
07:17:00 – PUBLIC DISTURBANCE – ADDRESS UNDEFINED === PINE COVE ===
-- Friday July 11, 2025 -23:28:00 – NOISE COMPLAINT – 2500 *** BLOCK SUNRISE DR -- Saturday July 12, 2025 -20:51:00 – ALARM CALL – 2500 *** BLOCK ST HWY 243 14:54:00 – FOLLOW-UP – ADDRESS WITHHELD
-- Sunday July 13, 2025 -10:10:00 – FOLLOW-UP – ADDRESS WITHHELD
-- Wednesday July 16, 2025 -00:37:00 – ALARM CALL – 2500 *** BLOCK ST HWY 243
-- Friday July 18, 2025 -02:39:00 – ALARM CALL – 2500 *** BLOCK ST HWY 243
-- Monday July 21, 2025 -16:22:00 – FOLLOW-UP – ADDRESS WITHHELD
-- Tuesday July 22, 2025 -15:34:00 – SUSPICIOUS VEHICLE – 2200 *** BLOCK ST HWY 243
-- Wednesday July 23, 2025 -10:24:00 – FRAUD – 2500 *** BLOCK NORWOOD DR
-- Sunday July 27, 2025 -22:38:00 – SUSPICIOUS PERSON – 5200 *** BLOCK GREEN CRAIG DR
-- Tuesday July 29, 2025 -18:18:00 – ASSIST OTHER DEPARTMENT – ADDRESS UNDEFINED === POPPET FLATS ===
-- Saturday July 12, 2025 -18:13:00 – ASSIST OTHER DEPARTMENT – 4500 *** BLOCK PARTRIDGE ST
-- Tuesday July 15, 2025 -09:48:00 – ASSIST OTHER DEPARTMENT – 4500 *** BLOCK BIG HORN ST
09:18:00 – AREA CHECK – 4500 *** BLOCK BEAR ST
-- Saturday July 19, 2025 -16:37:00 – SUICIDE THREAT –ADDRESS WITHHELD
-- Friday July 25, 2025 -10:49:00 – TRESPASSING – ADDRESS UNDEFINED
-- Tuesday July 29, 2025 -01:30:00 – SHOTS FIRED – ADDRESS UNDEFINED
=== SAN BERDO NAT FORS ===
-- Saturday July 12, 2025 -22:50:00 – NOISE COMPLAINT –2100 *** BLOCK ST HWY 243
15:47:00 – PUBLIC DISTURBANCE – 2400 *** BLOCK CANYON TRL
09:44:00 – RECOVERY OF STOLEN VEHICLE – 5600 *** BLOCK E ST HWY 74
01:47:00 – NOISE COMPLAINT –ADDRESS UNDEFINED
-- Sunday July 13, 2025 -20:58:00 – ALARM CALL – 2700 *** BLOCK SAUNDERS MEADOW RD
09:36:00 – CHECK THE WELFARE – 3800 *** BLOCK WESTERN HILLS RD
07:58:00 – FOLLOW-UP – ADDRESS WITHHELD
-- Monday July 14, 2025 -22:03:00 – ASSIST OTHER DEPARTMENT – ADDRESS UNDEFINED
-- Tuesday July 15, 2025 -13:29:00 – CHECK THE WELFARE – 5800 *** BLOCK APPLE CANYON RD
-- Saturday July 19, 2025 -10:45:00 – SHOTS FIRED – 5500 *** BLOCK E ST HWY 74 09:13:00 – MAN DOWN – ADDRESS UNDEFINED -- Sunday July 20, 2025 -11:14:00 – SUSPICIOUS PERSON – 5600 *** BLOCK E ST HWY 74 10:40:00
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On the Town
Free Summer Concert Series continues with ABBA LA this week, next week The Tokens
By David Jerome Correspondent
Tonight, July 31, Southern California’s premier tribute to Scandinavian pop sensations ABBA will return to the Butterfield Amphitheater. ABBA LA was the one new addition to the Summer Concert Series during last year’s 25th Anniversary season, and fit well with the Series mission reach all ages and tastes.
Singer Laura Bradley told the Town Crier that the project began as a heavy metal tribute to the band that brought us “Dancing Queen,” “Take A Chance On Me,” and “Fernando,” but evolved into a “crazy busy” re-creation. Bradley said that she loves ABBA’s intergenerational appeal, touching everyone from toddlers to nonagenarians.
Opening for ABBA LA will be Idyllwild’s Pentagrams and Daisies, who call themselves “The biggest sounding duo on the planet,” and have become a fixture of the local live scene with a crazy eclectic range of material.
Next week’s headliner will be The Tokens, the doo wop greats remembered for “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” and original tunes like “Tonight I Fell in Love” and “I Hear Trumpets Blow.” Neil Sedaka was a founding member.
Noah Margo, son and nephew of original members Phil and Mitch Margo, toured with the group for 30 years, and has kept the group on the road and celebrating the music of his father and uncle. The original Tokens prided themselves with being the first vocal group to also play the instruments on their albums, and the present configuration continues that tradition.
In 1998 they sang the National Anthen in all 30 major league baseball stadiums, earning them entry into the Guiness Book of World Records.
Opening for The Tokens will be versatile local songstress Sandii Castleberry. This will be her 22nd year opening a Summer Concert.
Each year, Series founder and producer Ken Dahleen brings the best working tribute artists from the region to Idyllwild for unforgettable summer evenings of music, and invites favorites of our local music scene to get the crowds warmed up. This is the Series 26th year, and the concerts have had the Butterfield Amphi-
Idyllwild Summer Concerts
The Tokens
Opener:
14 USMC
2025 IDYLLWILD
• Linda McCaughin & Phil Strong
• Sandlin Refrigeration
and
• David and Colleen Pascale
• Sanford & Brenda Moreno
• Idyllwild Rotary Charitable Fund
• Babz and David Cutter
• Harry & Cosmo Perrogato
• Tiffany Raridon / Idyllwild
theater for a home since 2019.
August 21 Big Band
August 28 Blue Breeze Band Opener: In the Pocket
SERIES IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY:
• Linda & Manny Rider
• Augusta Communities / Idyllwild Trailer Park
• Residents of Idyllwild Trailer Park
• Robin & Bill Rhoads
• Roland Gaebert
• Bob & Gisela Stearns
• Idyllwild Pizza Company
The Summer Concert Series is free and open to all, supported entirely by donations from the community. This year’s budget for nine concerts is $49,275, with $42,212 already raised. Contributions, checks payable to “Idyllwild Summer concert Org” may be sent to PO Box
• Idyllwild Town Crier
• Stephanie Yost at Idyllwild Mountain Properties
• Pete and Suzy Capparelli
• Garrett Capune & Harmeet Chana
• Idyllwild Vacation Rental Owners
1542, Idyllwild CA 92549, or call (760)413-4638. ABBA LA with openers Pentagrams and Daisies, Thursday July 31; The Tokens with Sandii Castleberry, Thursday August 7. Music begins at 6 p.m., with headliners taking the stage at 7 p.m. Butterfield Amphitheater, 54201 Ridgeview Drive
Opener: Sandii Castleberry ABBA L.A.
Pentagrams
Daisies
Decorate paper clips with clay. Just follow these steps:
Roll a small piece of clay into a ball.
With your thumb, flatten into a disk.
Flatten a smaller clay ball into another disk.
Place the larger disk face down; press the top of a paper clip into the disk’s back.
Press the other disk on top, sandwiching the paper clip in between.
Clay Racing
Set a timer for two minutes. With a friend or family member, race through the newspaper to circle words that rhyme with the word CLAY. Who found the most? Then, put the words you circled in alphabetical order.
Let dry and paint a design on the clay disk.
With hundreds of topics, every Kid Scoop printable activity pack features six-to-seven pages of high-interest extra learning activities for home and school! Get your free sample today at:
Try
© 2025 by Vicki Whiting, Editor Je Schinkel, Graphics Vol. 41
2.
Attach leaves to trunk. Let dry. Paint and glue on pencil top. 3.
Flatten five pieces of clay into palm leaf shapes.
PHOTO BY PETER SZABADI
County Biologist talks about invasive species at Nature Center
By David Jerome Correspondent
Biologist Kalee Koeslag-Schellerup gave a talk at the Idyllwild Nature Center last weekend on invasive species. She is Natural Resource Manager at the Southwestern Riverside Couty Multi-Species Reserve, which connects Diamond Valley Lake and Lake Skinner.
Invasive species, she told the audience that filled the meeting room at the Center, are non-native species that proliferate in an alien habitat due to having escaped from their natural predators, having a high reproductive rate, and out-competing natives. Although habitat loss topped Koeslag-Schellerup’s list of threats to biodiversity, invasive species were number two.
Invasive species take over niches from natives, and since native plants support native animals, starting with insects and leading up the chain, the food web is often disturbed when a new species moves in. Non-native plants also add fuel to wildfire, especially since they often spread near roads and highways. Wildflowers are often choked out by invasive grasses which, unlike the native bunch grasses, turn brown in summer. After a fire, invasive species often bounce back faster than natives, worsening the cycle.
California, with its many micro habitats, is a hotspot for biodiversity, with islands like our mountain plateau threatened by urban sprawl indirectly as development spreads non-native plants. Although the talk included frogs, fish, turtles and other creatures, plants are the invaders most of us are likely to find near home.
Koeslag-Shellerup ran through many examples of the effect of invasive species on biodiversity and cataloged the approaches that those managing large and small parcels of land can adopt. Fighting invasive species begins with identifying them, and several internet-based tools can help, among them iNaturalist.org and CalFlora.org. The iNaturalist platform is a website that connects citizens with professionals and academics, and includes an app that helps users identify species with the camera on their smartphone. Calflora focuses on the plants of our state, and also offers training videos and in-person training sessions. Another site, WeedCUT (Weed Control User Tool) specializes in non-chemical management practices, which users can filter by species.
The tactics used to fight the incursion of invasive plants begin with identification and proceed through monitoring, management, and after-action assessment. Effective action, Koeslag-Schellerup stressed, is usually a combination of biological, physical/mechanical and cultural interventions. Culture here means human habits, developing best practices. It is easier to ID species when they are flowering, and best to remove them before they go to seed. As with diseased plants, gardeners should clean tools after using them on invasive species.
To learn more visit iNaturalist.org, Calflora.org, and weedcut.ipm.ucanr.edu/
—
Pablo Picasso
Mondy Gottesman and his mother, Nadia Shpachenko-Gottesman attended the Ashcraft memorial concert. Mondy was the soloist in the american Premier of Ukranian composer Zoltan Almashi's Elegy during the IAA Summer Program Instrumental Culmination. Mondy, who will be a high school freshman this fall, told the Town Crier that this was his third summer in the program, and that he hopes to attend full time some day.
PHOTO BY DAVID JEROME
"Maragritaville in the Pines" themed meeting of the Associates of Idyllwild Arts
PHOTO BY PETER SZABADI
Jim Brock, a long-time Red Cross volunteer, accepts a Rotary mug from President, Nacho Garcia. Jim shared many of the resources available to those in need due to disaster including numerous preparedness and disaster supplies available at www.redcross.org/store
PHOTO BY ERIC TRACY
Past Tense
75 years ago - 1950
Hill motorists, children and inexperienced horsemen “unaccustomed to city streets” were warned to be careful during the busy vacation time.
70 years ago - 1955
The first San Jacinto Mt. Wilderness Horseman’s Play Day, involving many local riding clubs, was a major success.
65 years ago - 1960 Plans were approved for the construction of a new
and larger post office on Idyllwild Inn Road, south of Village Park.
60 years ago - 1965
An Idyllwild woman, Emily Tancredi, pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to charges of setting fire to a North Circle Drive house.
55 years ago - 1970
Peter Dangermond Jr., director of the Riverside County Department of Parks, announced plans for park improvements and expansions in the Idyllwild area, such as upgrading Hurkey Creek and McCall parks.
50 years ago - 1975
A fire that started from a leaking propane tank completely destroyed a $25,000 Pine Cove home. A county fire truck from
Creature Corner
Last week in Days of Our Nine Lives, the ARF cats celebrated Ocean's adoption. Pepper: Time to celebrate, again!
Marlowe: Why?
Pepper: Sequoia the office cat has gone to her forever home.
Rowan: No surprise there! What a sweet girl. A very lucky family and cat!
Pepper: And we have yet another reason to celebrate.
Marlowe: Well, let's hear it!
Pepper: ARF now has six puppies looking for forever homes.
Marlowe: That's quite a lot. Oh! Are these the puppies coming in now?
Oreo: (bounding into the room with his siblings) Hi guys! I'm Oreo, and these are my sisters and brothers.
Moonlight: I'm Moonlight, and as with the rest of this litter, I was born on June 8. We're very nearly 8 weeks old, which means we're just about ready to go to forever homes.
Rowan: Welcome! All of you are so very cute. Pepper: Puppies and kittens! How are they to be resisted?
Oreo: True! We all are pretty irresistible.
Coco: All six of us may be met this coming Sunday at Mountain Paws Pet Boutique in town, 10:00 til 1:00. I hope people come ready to fall in love!
Rowan: Oh, so do I. All of you are very lovable! This week's Creature Corner is sponsored by Lois Shepard. 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.
the Pine Cove Station, plus two state trucks, five trucks from the U.S. Forest Service, one battalion chief, one USFS PPT and one USFS helicopter responded to the alarm.
45 years ago - 1980
A $655,000 construction bid for an extensive pipeline project within the Fern Valley Water District was awarded to T.A. Revard, a Los Angeles-based contractor. Already underway was the construction of the largest water storage tank on the Hill.
40 years ago - 1985
A temporary plan for the Idyllwild Transfer Station was approved by the Riverside County Board of Supervisors.
35 years ago - 1990
Despite July rains that dropped 2 inches of water on the Hill and seemed to abate the drought-like conditions, Idyllwild Water District declared a Stage 3 water shortage emergency.
30 years ago - 1995
In response to two complaints that the Hemet Unified School District was teaching creationism as science, Superintendent Stephen Teele proposed implementing a district-wide policy on science instruction.
25 years ago - 2000
The Chamber of Commerce was interested in selling Town Hall, but feedback from the community was overwhelmingly negative. A petition was drafted to “Save Town Hall.”
20 years ago - 2005
Hemet High School student and pitcher Travis Leavitt was selected as a member of the Los Angeles Times Desert/Mountain all-region baseball team.
15 years ago - 2010
New Idyllwild Postmaster Kelly Gates was sworn into office. The ceremony, attended by more than 50 people, was held at Mark Taylor’s Idyllwild Dance Studio and a luncheon at Town Hall followed.
11 year ago - 2014
The new president of the Idyllwild Arts Foundation, Pamela Jordan, was from Chicago. She came here familiar with the campus and town, prepared to lead the institution forward in the 21st
century.
10 year ago - 2015
Cafe Aroma had recently opened a gift shop inside the restaurant, which featured logoed items such as hats and T-shirts, along with works by local artists.
5 year ago - 2020
Marianne Kent-Stoll, a longtime advocate for integrating arts and academics, was named head of school at Idyllwild Arts Academy, where she plans to expand online learning and strengthen community partnerships.
1 year ago - 2024
Idyllwild Rotary hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Idyllwild Information Center on North Circle
Churches & Spiritual Centers Directory
MARLOWE
ROWAN
Crowd gathered at last week's Summer Concert featuring the Laurel Canyon Band
PHOTO BY PETER SZABADI