Rainy weekend, may end in snow

From the National Weather Service report about 2:15 a.m., Friday, Dec. 11.

right now it's just light rain.

.WET WEATHER MOVING BACK INTO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA THIS WEEKEND...

A STRING OF DISTURBANCES OVER THE EAST PACIFIC WILL BE MOVING
THROUGH SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BEGINNING TODAY AND CONTINUING THROUGH
SUNDAY. PERIODS OF RAIN...AND SNOW AT HIGHER ELEVATIONS IN THE
MOUNTAINS ARE EXPECTED.

THE FIRST SYSTEM WILL BRING LIGHT TO LOCALLY MODERATE RAIN SHOWERS
FRIDAY MORNING. THIS WILL BE FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER PERIOD OF LIGHT TO
MODERATE RAIN ON SATURDAY MORNING. ONE FINAL ROUND OF MODERATE TO
LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN AND SNOW IS POSSIBLE LATE SATURDAY INTO SUNDAY
MORNING. IN BETWEEN EACH SYSTEM...LIGHT SHOWERS MAY LINGER NEAR THE
FOOTHILLS AND MOUNTAINS DUE TO CONTINUED MOIST WESTERLY FLOW.

TOTAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS FOR THE ENTIRE EVENT THROUGH SUNDAY SHOULD
GENERALLY BE IN THE RANGE OF 0.75 TO 1.75 INCHES FOR THE COAST AND
VALLEYS...AND 2.00 TO LOCALLY 4.00 INCHES ON THE FOOTHILLS AND
COASTAL SLOPES OF THE MOUNTAINS. THE BIGGEST TOTALS SHOULD BE IN THE
SAN BERNARDINO MOUNTAINS. SNOW LEVELS WILL INITIALLY BE QUITE HIGH
ON FRIDAY...NEAR 7000 FEET...BUT SHOULD FALL TO AROUND 5500 FEET
OVER THE SAN BERNARDINOS AND 6500 FEET OVER THE SAN JACINTOS BY
SUNDAY MORNING...WHERE UP SIX INCHES OF SNOW COULD ACCUMULATE BY
SUNDAY NIGHT. LITTLE SNOW ACCUMULATION IS EXPECTED ON THE SAN DIEGO
COUNTY MOUNTAINS. IN THE DESERTS...GENERALLY ONE HALF INCH OF RAIN
OR LESS IS EXPECTED.

IFPD Dec. 8 agenda

Here's the agenda for tomorrow's IFPD meeting. this will be the first meeting with the new commissioners — Pete Capparelli, Jeannine Charles-Stigall and Dr. Charles "Chip" Schelly. Thank you for you service to former commissioners, Glen "Mac" McWilliams, Earl Parker and Lloyd Vaught.

Tomorrow's meeting begins at 5:30.

The meeting is held at the Idyllwild Fire Station, 54160 Maranatha Dr. The Board may approve or take action on items contained in the discussion Calendar.

Swearing in of new Commissioners

Call to Order:

Roll Call:

1. Riggi – Killingsworth – Caprarelli – Stigall – Schelly - Kunkle – Coopersmith

Pledge of Allegiance:

Consent Calendar:

1. Approval of minutes for Special Meeting of October 26^th (No Quorum)

2. Approval of minutes for Special Meeting of October 30^th

3. Approval of minutes for Special Meeting of November 4^th

4. Approval of minutes for Regular Meeting of November 17^th

Reports:

1. Presidents.

2. Vice Presidents.

3. Treasurer.

4. Chief .

5. Safety Report.

6. Idyllwild Firefighters Assoc.

7. ICFA .

Correspondence:

As Included

Action Items:

1. Appointment of Vice President.

2. Rules and Regulations 110

3. Collection of new board members identification documentation (Homeland Security Requirement).

4. Bank resolution new signatory approval on accounts.

Discussion Items:

1. Reply to Mr. Smiths questions posed at the November 17^th board meeting.

2. Zoll equipment update.

3. Discuss the benefits of board training sessions.

Citizen Comments:

Weather? SNOW. W. W . w. .w . .

Good Morning Idyllwild and those lower,

The weather is fall with a whiff of an approaching winter. We had rain in Strawberry Valley last night, but up high, probably above 10,000 feet, certainly above the Saddle, we can see white stuff — snow.

To lifelong SoCal'ers, the white stuff is not sand, no kicking the face, because it's density is to low. It's snow and melts at the beach.

so come on up and vist for the holidays, enjoy a warm fire, good meals, a great paper and a stupendous Christmas Tree lighting next weekend.

Hemet HS Girls' Volleyball

Congratulations to the Hemet High School Girls' volleyball team. They were very good this season and with a nucleus of Idyllwild raised athletes their prospects appear very high for the 2010 season.

They went to the CIF tournament quarter-finals this year, There they encountered an imposing team from Troy Fullerton. They were beaten 3-0.

On Tuesday, they won the first round in the playoffs, but the trip ended quickly last night.

Next year, returning players include Gina Drell, Hayleigh Friemoth and Rosie Robinson who all learned skils at Idyllwild School. In addtion, power player Taylor Griner will make an impact, too.

Below are some photos from Tuesday's game, taken by Michael Drell, Hemet High School and soon the world beyond.

Gina preparing to receive serve.

Hayleigh preparing to block a return.

The Volleyball team's rooting and cheering section! Go Dawgs!!

Photography

It's very helpful when taking action shots to have someone with you who understands the procedure. This morning at the Health Fair, I was trying to get a pic of Supervisor Jeff Stone giving a flu shot.

My wife, Rita, stopped a gentleman from walking in front of the camera and I was very appreciative for her help. Photographers have their eyes attached to the viewfinder and peripheral vision is liimited.

So how do you like this shot? And guess who is in the middle of the foreground! She's beautiful and always will be, thank you Joshua Kadsen.

Conor O'Farrell

Did you see Monday's LATimes?

Local blogger Conor O'F, noteworthy associate, of the esteemed Frank Ferro, was mentioned in a review of his latest, hope not last, stage performance.

The good news is Conor's future is probably unlimited. The LAT review noticed his talents as many of us have also, "O’Farrell betrays middle-aged disappointment in curmudgeonly sternness". As long as filmdom and the theater needs a grouch, Idyllwild will be well represented.

The play goes for a few more weeks, so rush on down and pay to see the local misantrope. Otherwise, you can communicate with him directly on "• Frank & Conor: Bad Advice in the Morning"

I also want to mention, that I saw a preview of Steven Speilberg's and Tom Hanks' follow-up to the "Band of Brothers". "The Pacific" will be out in the spring. But the preview starred Conor O'F. He's ubitiquous. I won't reveal anymore "Doc Con".

High cholesterol medicine may fight flu

Here’s some interesting and, perhaps, beneficial news for those you, like me, who take cholesterol lowering statins. They may improve your odds against the flu.

The results of a recent study, “Role of Statins in Preventing Death among Patients Hospitalized with Lab-confirmed Influenza Infections”, were presented Friday at the annual Infectious Diseases Society of America conference in Philadelphia.

The researchers said, “There is growing evidence that statins have anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects that could reduce the risk of mortality from severe infections.”

They examined the role of statins in reducing mortality in adults hospitalized with lab-confirmed influenza. They analyzed data collected via chart review of patients ≥18 years for two influenza seasons to evaluate the association between receiving statins during hospitalization and death.

Patients who received statins were more likely to be older, male, white and Asian, to have underlying health conditions such as cardiovascular disease and to have been vaccinated against influenza that season. Age and cardiovascular disease were associated with increased odds of death, while administration of statins during hospitalization was significantly protective.

They concluded “Statin use may be associated with reduced mortality in patients hospitalized with influenza.”

Well, we’ll see what future research produces, but maybe there’s a two for one benefit here.