Around the District – Page 12 – Pine Cove Water District

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VOTE

Posted by admin on October 30, 2020

Please note that there will be NO voting at the Pine Cove Water District this year. While we apologize for the inconvenience, we want to make sure you know you have multiple days to be able to safely vote in Idyllwild.

Don’t rely on the postal mail this late in the game. Bring your ballot to your county clerk by hand or vote in person.

There is currently an official drop box at the Idyllwild Library through 8pm on Election Day as well as early voting services starting Saturday 10/31/2020 through Election Day.

You can utilize the FREE Shuttle Service through Forest Folk. Check their webpage for more information, their Facebook page or call them at 951-426-9688 on the day you need a ride.

I’ve also heard rumor that Douglas Fresh with Pearl Car Service is offering FREE rides to the library in order to be able to vote. He can be contacted by phone/text at 951-223-5812, on their webpage, or Facebook page.

The following information is taken from vote411.org.
You can also get information from voteinfo.net.

Early Voting Site and Drop Box

Idyllwild County Library Meeting Room
54401 Village Center Drive
Idyllwild, CA 92549

EARLY VOTE SITE DATES: 10/31/2020 to 11/02/2020
EARLY VOTE SITE HOURS: Oct 31 – Nov 2: 9am – 5pm; Election Day: 7am – 8pm
EARLY VOTE/SITE VOTER SERVICES: early vote

DROP OFF LOCATION HOURS: Oct 5 – Nov 2; Mon – Fri: 10am – 3pm; Election Day: 7am – 8pm
DROP OFF LOCATION DATES: 10/05/2020 to 11/03/2020
DROP OFF LOCATION VOTER SERVICES: drop off

Once you’ve voted, you can track your ballot by going to Where’sMyBallot?.

Posted in: Around the District, Community, From the Office

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Are you ready to VOTE?

Posted by admin on October 23, 2020

Please note that there will be NO voting at the Pine Cove Water District this year. While we apologize for the inconvenience, we want to make sure you know you have multiple days to be able to safely vote in Idyllwild.

If you are planning on MAILING your ballot in, please consider using the mailbox outside of the Water District. The more this box is used for regular mailing, the more we are proving that we need to keep it here.

There is currently an official drop box at the Idyllwild Library through 8pm on Election Day as well as early voting services starting Saturday 10/31/2020 through Election Day.

I’ve also heard rumor that Douglas Fresh with Pearl Car Service is offering FREE rides to the library in order to be able to vote. He can be contacted by phone/text at 951-223-5812, on their webpage, or Facebook page.

The following information is taken from vote411.org.
You can also get information from voteinfo.net.

Early Voting Site and Drop Box

Idyllwild County Library Meeting Room
54401 Village Center Drive
Idyllwild, CA 92549

Once you’ve voted, you can track your ballot by going to Where’sMyBallot?.

Posted in: Around the District, Community

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Limited Grant Funds Available

Posted by admin on October 16, 2020

Additional resources on the hill include funds from the Mountain Communities Fire Safe Council, to make sure properties in Idyllwild have defensible space around their homes. Funds are brought to you by Riverside County Non-Profit Assistance Fund with special thanks to Inland Empire Community Foundation and the County of Riverside.

Website: http://mcfsc.org/
Phone: 951-659-6208
Facebook (most up to date information): https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Nonprofit-Organization/Mountain-Communities-Fire-Safe-Council-104249930945752/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mcfiresafecouncil/?hl=en

They currently have two grants available:
1) General fuels reduction (abatement) programs, available year-round
2) IECF Non-Profit Assistance Fund, one time grant with extremely limited funds available for those that qualify

The limited funds round of fire abatement funding is being reserved for those who need it most in this unprecedented time: our low income, elderly and/or disable full-time residents.

Must meet requirements. Please call MCFSC for more details and to complete an application: 951-659-6208

Posted in: Around the District, Community, Fire Abatement, Mountain Communities Fire Safe Council

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Are you Prepared? (Part 2)

Posted by admin on August 28, 2020

In addition to the Basic Emergency Evacuation Kit mentioned in last week’s post, here are more items that can be added based on your individual needs.

Additional Emergency Supplies:

Soap, hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes, etc.
Non-prescription medications such as pain relievers, anti-diarrhea medication, antacids or laxatives
Prescription eyeglasses and contact lens solution
Infant formula, bottles, diapers, wipes and diaper rash cream
Pet food and extra water for your pet
Fire extinguisher
Matches in a waterproof container
Feminine supplies and personal hygiene items
Mess kits, paper cups, plates, paper towels, and plastic utensils
Paper and pencil
Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children

Maintaining Your Kit:
After assembling your kit, remember to maintain it so it’s ready when needed:

Keep canned food in a cool, dry place
Store boxed food in tightly closed plastic or metal containers
Replace expired items as needed
Re-think your needs every 6-months to a year and update your kit as needs change

Kit Storage Locations:
Since you do not know where you will be when an emergency occurs, prepare supplies for your home, work, and vehicles.

Home: Keep in a designated place and have it ready in case you need to leave quickly. Make sure all family members know where it is.
Work: Be prepared to shelter at work for at least 24 hours. Your work kit should at least include food, water, medications, comfortable walking shoes in a “grab and go” case.
Car: In case you are stranded, keep a kit of emergency supplies in your car

As mentioned before:
Talk to your family and friends, make a plan! Decide where to meet, where to stay, where you are going. If you have pets or seniors to consider, plan ahead for them as well and have specific prepared go bags. If you do not have a car, make a plan ahead of time… ask a friend or a neighbor if you can ride off the hill with them if needed. If you have a car, keep 1/2 tank of gas in it at all times. If the power goes out, the stations may not be able to pump gas unless they have a generator and even then they may only be able to take cash payments.

Remember, in case of an emergency the number one priority is safety first. Proper advanced preparations can ease the stress of evacuation and help you make sure all the necessities are not left behind or forgotten.

You can get more detailed information at https://www.ready.gov/kit

Posted in: Around the District, Community, Emergencies, Fire

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Are you prepared?

Posted by admin on August 20, 2020

Fire and quake season is upon us. Do you have an Emergency Plan to help you and your loved ones evacuate easily? It is a good idea to prepare a portable kit and keep it in your car or to grab and go box that will be easily accessible for you and your family.

Build a basic Emergency Evacuation Kit Including:

Water (one gallon per person per day for at least 3 days)
Non-perishable food (at least 3 days supply)
Manual can opener (for food)
Bottled water
Prescription medications and copies of the prescription
Battery operated or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert
Flashlight
Extra batteries
Whistle (to signal for help)
Dust mask (to help filter potential contaminated air)
Plastic sheeting and duct tape (in case of a shelter in place)
Moist towelettes / baby wipes, garbage bags and plastic ties (for personal sanitation)
Wrench or pliers (to turn off utilities)
Local maps
Cell phone and chargers
First-aid kit
Cash
Copies of important documents (driver’s license/ID, SS card, proof of residency, insurance policies, wills, deeds, birth and marriage certificates, etc.)
Extra change of clothes and bedding
Pre-pack non-replaceable, personal items like photo albums that you can quickly move to a vehicle if you are instructed to evacuate

Talk to your family and friends, make a plan! Decide where to meet, where to stay, where you are going. If you have pets or seniors to consider, plan ahead for them as well and have specific prepared go bags. If you do not have a car, make a plan ahead of time… ask a friend or a neighbor if you can ride off the hill with them if needed. If you have a car, keep 1/2 tank of gas in it at all times. If the power goes out, the stations may not be able to pump gas unless they have a generator and even then they may only be able to take cash payments.

Remember, in case of an emergency the number one priority is safety first. Proper advanced preparations can ease the stress of evacuation and help you make sure all the necessities are not left behind or forgotten.

You can get more detailed information at https://www.ready.gov/kit

Posted in: Around the District, Community, Emergencies, Fire

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Have you seen any monarch butterflies this season?

Posted by admin on July 24, 2020

I recently read an article in The San Diego Union-Tribute dated July 13, 2020 that said butterfly plants are in short supply. They cited the pandemic-fueled gardening boom as well as public’s awareness of shrinking monarch population and wanting to help increase it. The Center for Biological Diversity put a release out on March 13, 2020 that stated the yearly count of monarch butterflies overwintering in Mexico shows a decrease of 53% from last year’s count and is well below the threshold at which government scientists predict the migration could collapse. They attribute the decrease of Monarchs to milkweed being devastated by increased herbicide spraying in conjunction with corn and soybean crops that have been genetically engineered to tolerate direct spraying with herbicides. Additionally, they are being threatened by other herbicides and by neonicotinoid insecticides that are toxic to young caterpillars and decrease the health of adult butterflies.

At the Pine Cove Water District, we were lucky enough to procure several new narrow-leaf milkweed as well as tropical milkweed for our butterfly garden. We’ve even seen a couple of visitors and look forward to seeing more as we come to the end of the season.

There’s a little guy hanging upside down

What can you do to help?

Plant the right milkweed.
According to The Laid-back Gardener, Monarchs seem to like common milkweed best but also fed happily on swamp milkweed. Apparently, butterfly weed isn’t too well liked in the caterpillar community.

Cut your milkweeds back.
Prior to blooming, cutting back the plants make them more attractive hosts for caterpillar larvae. Research at Michigan State University shows that female monarchs prefer to lay their eggs on fresh young stems that haven’t flowered yet. Heavy pruning doesn’t harm the milkweed plants and they quickly rebound.

Know your sources and avoid pesticides, insecticides, and herbicides.
When purchasing flower starts or seed, know the source. Make sure they are all natural and have no pesticides. Additionally, keep that same mind set when amending your soil and use natural compost like the compost we supply at the Water District to Pine Cove residents.

Plant additional flowers to feed adults.
Although the female monarchs only lay their eggs on milkweeds and their caterpillars only feed on those same plants, adult monarchs feed on nectar of additional flowers like Wild Bergamont, Mountain Mint, Pale Purple Coneflower, and more. Try to provide a wide range of flowers that bloom through the entire growing season. It is also suggested that you grow single plants isolated from others by mulch or wood chips (which the Water District also can supply to Pine Cove residents) instead of mixing them as the butterflies rely on seeing the plant shapes to know where their food is.

Posted in: Animals, Around the District, Compost, Garden, gardening, Monarch Butterflies, Mulch, Pine Cove Water District, Raised Bed Gardens, The Garden, Uncategorized, Wood chips

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Highway 243 to Banning Update

Posted by admin on November 1, 2019

State of California Department of Transportation PRESS RELEASE

October 30, 2019 Press Release Number: 19-424 Project ID: 08-1K520 District: 8 Riverside/San Bernardino Emergency Work Update on State Route 243 in Idyllwild RIVERSIDE – The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is pleased to announce that the emergency work on State Route 243 (SR-243) is now complete. The route will reopen to the public from Interstate 10 (I-10) to Idyllwild on Friday, November 1 by 6 p.m. Know before you go! To stay on top of roadwork in the Inland Empire go to Caltrans District 8 and sign up for commuter alerts.

We are so happy the the road work on highway 243 to Banning is complete!

Posted in: Around the District, Community, Customer Infomation, Pine Cove Water District, Road Conditions

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Riverside County Emergency Reverse 911

Posted by admin on October 28, 2019

With Fires blazing all over Southern California PCWD wants to make sure our residents are best prepared if a disaster were to strike close to home again. Getting informed of an emergency is the first step. When you have an emergency, 911 is the number to call but did you know that Riverside County offers an emergency telephone alerting system? When disasters occur that are unknown to you, REVERSE 911 calls you. The system called REVERSE 911 and works through our telephones. It uses computer technology to quickly contact many residents and businesses in a specific area to communicate information. Early Warning Notification System (EWNS) allows public safety first responders to rapidly alert and warn the general public in the event of emergencies.

The EWNS is one of a group of alert warning tools used in Riverside County. Any Business or residence in Riverside county that has traditional land line phone service (listed or unlisted) is already a part of the EWNS. Cell phones or VoIP numbers have to be registered to receive these emergency alerts. Just visit Riverside County’s secure website homepage: www.countyofriverside.us and add the number you would like to be notified by.

The EWNS can make up to 250,000 calls per hour to reach the public of Riverside County. Registered phone numbers will be notified in the event of a small, medium or large emergency. It is important for us to get the notification as soon as possible in the event of a wildfire, flood, severe weather, hazardous material warning, law enforcement incidents, etc. Having an early warning can help keep you and your loved ones safe and informed about potential dangers in our community.

Don’t forget the important parts of evacuation- The P’s of Evacuation

People
Pets
Personal computer
Prescriptions
Papers
Photos
Phone (& charger)
personal needs
priceless items

Posted in: Around the District, Community, Customer Infomation, Emergencies, Fire

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Fall Preparation for Winter Precipitation

Posted by admin on October 17, 2019

When the beautiful fall leaves turn and the air becomes crisp is a good time to think about how to prepare for the coming cold months. It is important to make sure your home is ready for the coming winter. Winter can cause cause costly bills. Heating costs can double if your windows are poorly insulated or if the heating system is out-of-date. Plumbing can break or burst creating extensive damage to your home and high water bills. To prevent damage, it is just as important to winterize your home even if it will be vacant for long periods of time. Making proper precautions to ensure your home is prepared for winter can save you time, money and a lot of unnecessary hassle.

Learn how to properly shut off your water valve (in case a pipe bursts) and turn your water off every time you leave your mountain home.
Insulate pipes with insulation and wrap any exposed pipes.
Clean your gutters; make sure water can flow freely through your gutters to avoid icicles and ice dams.
Change your ceiling fans clockwise to force hot air at the ceiling towards the floor.
Replacing the filters in your forced heating unit improves the efficiency of your unit.
Window insulation film can help keep heat from escaping out your windows.
Winterize your home to extend the life of your fuel supply by insulating walls and attics, caulking and weather-stripping doors and windows, and installing storm windows or covering windows with plastic.
The simple act of installing a storm door can increase energy efficiency by 45%, by sealing drafts and reducing air flow
Placing a rolled towel at the bottom of your exterior door or a draft guard prevents heat from leaking out.
Maintain heating equipment and chimneys by having them cleaned and inspected every year. Your chimney doesn’t necessarily need to be swept every single year, but it does need an annual inspection. Wood stoves, however, should be swept more often.
Trim tree branches near your windows, roof, or parking areas before the weight of winter ice and snow can cause them to snap.
Inspect your home for any openings where animals could use to get inside. Make sure your fireplace flue or damper is closed, as bats, birds and squirrels are known to get inside this way.
Winterize your house, barn, shed or any other structure that may provide shelter for your family, neighbors, livestock or equipment.
Keep fire extinguishers on hand, and make sure everyone in your house knows how to use them. House fires pose an additional risk, as more people turn to alternate heating sources without taking the necessary safety precautions.
It is wise to communicate with a trusted friend or neighbor if you plan to be gone for a prolonged period of time and make sure they have your contact information. Taking these steps can help protect your home from theft, water damage, and heating or electrical system issues while you are away.

Early this year we experienced extreme low temperatures and lots of snow. Pine Cove lost of over a million gallons of water in February and March this year. This loss was a result of many leaks around the District and caused by freezing temperatures. PCWD always recommends turning your water off at the street customer valve to prevent any water disasters or leaks. Conserving water whenever possible is important to this District. Pine Covers are very aware and are cautious about conserving water as much as possible. If you aren’t sure how you can reduce your water usage, we have many water conservation tips here on the blog and on our website at pcwd.org that are useful for conserving water both inside the house as well as outside.

Posted in: Around the District, Community, Conservation, Customer Infomation, Customer Valve, From the Office, Frozen Pipes, Leaks, Pine Cove Water District, Storms, Water Conservation, Weather, Winter, winterizing

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Monarch Butterflies are Emerging

Posted by admin on September 27, 2019

We have been releasing Monarch Butterflies all week. Most of them look great but there are the few sad ones that emerge with some deformities like bent or shriveled wings. Below you can see three examples of chrysalis and the one on the far right will not make it to becoming a butterfly but the one on the left looks like it will emerge any minute and you can even see the beautifully formed orange wings. The green one in front looks healthy.