This weekend, May 17th and 18th, please visit Old Town Temecula for our annual Western Days event. The festivities will take place from 11:00 am -5:00 pm. The event will feature a chili cook-off, pony rides, stagecoach rides and Wild West skits every hour. The main entertainment will be a staged attempted robbery of the Bank on Front and Main Streets at high noon.

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Grand Canyon, AZ – The National Park Service will resume burning piles of woody debris over the next few days on the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. The piles of debris consist of small tree branches, twigs, and needles removed during preparation of prescribed fire control lines. Pile burning is a necessary preparation for the prescribed fires scheduled for this fall at the South Rim.

Fire managers will take advantage of recent moisture to minimize the chance of fire spread and potential spotting form the small debris piles. The piles will be ignited and monitored over the next few days by firefighters until the piles are completely out.

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Suspects found dead in apparent murder/suicide on May 14.
For more information, please contact Mike Minter of the Pinal County Sherriff’s Office at 520-705-5564

Grand Canyon, Ariz. – May 13, 2008 - On Monday, May 12, at approximately 3:30 p.m., Grand Canyon National Park’s emergency dispatch center received multiple reports of a vehicle accident near Twin Overlooks on Desert View Drive (Highway 64) located on the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. Witnesses in the area stopped to offer assistance to the two male occupants. Both refused assistance and left on foot carrying large backpacks. Park rangers responded to the accident scene and initiated an investigation.

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SILVER SPRINGS, Nev. - Although Lahontan Reservoir is only a third full, boaters are still able to enjoy plenty of access to the reservoir. It is expected that reservoir levels will remain stable well into June.

The Silver Springs launch ramps are usable–however, the north shore marina ramps are marginal for boat launching.

Beach launching is permitted but requires the use of a 4-wheel drive vehicle.

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Nine Yosemite rangers received Valor Awards from Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne at the 65th Annual Honor Awards Convocation in Washington DC on May 13, 2008.

“The stories behind each of our award winners are as incredible as they are marvelous,” Kempthorne said. In addition to courageous, dramatic rescues, Kempthorne also recognized the “everyday heroes” who help endangered species, develop innovative programs, or maintain accurate records.

Yosemite National Park Rangers John Dill, Daniel Gleason, David Horne, Gregory Lawler, Edward Visnovske, and Shawn Walters were honored for their work on a 2002 rescue. The team successfully rescued a climber who had been caught in a rock fall that swept over him, injuring his neck and shoulder and fracturing his elbow. During the rescue the entire area remained very much at risk of continued rock fall.

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The San Diego Union Trib reported May 13, 2008,  “More than 400 people packed a meeting hall at the Borrego Springs Resort in the afternoon, and about 250 more came for a second session at night to speak to four of the five members of the state’s Public Utilities Commission.”

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