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For weather experts, autumn in Southern California is “the great race.” The severity of the fall fire season is often determined by what arrives first — the fierce Santa Ana winds or the rains. This year, however, it’s been no contest. Autumn has seen excruciatingly little rain, intensely low humidity, record heat and powerful winds that sparked what is so far the second largest wildfire in modern California history. “The result are these near-apocalyptic fires that we’re seeing,” climatologist Bill Patzert said.

With considerable discussion about the merits of providing public access to meetings versus cost and time efficiency, Ramona Municipal Water District directors are on course to switch their monthly meetings from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. if the ordinance to amend the legislative code is approved at their Jan. 9 meeting. The meeting will start at 2 p.m. in January. The revised meeting time received preliminary approval on a 3-1 vote on Dec. 12 with board members Jim Hickle, Jeff Lawler and Bryan Wadlington in favor, and board president Thomas Ace dissenting.

Long-time Valley Center Municipal Water District Director, Merle Aleshire, will retire after 20 years  from the water agency’s Board effective December 30, 2017. Representing Election Division 5 (covering the Meadows, Welk’s, Jesmond Dene), Aleshire joined the Board in December of 1997, filling the unexpired term of his predecessor.  He successfully stood for re-election in 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, and 2014.  His current term expires at the end of 2018.

WHEN THE DUST RISES IN NORTH SHORE, a small farmworker town at the edge of the Salton Sea, Jacqueline Pozar’s nose often starts to bleed. Then her teacher at Saul Martinez Elementary School in nearby Mecca calls her mom, Maria, and asks her to come pick up her daughter. Jacqueline is seven years old. “I feel really bad because I can’t do anything for her,” Maria Pozar says.