Guest Column by Chris Christopherson — As a resident and conservative I am against taxes as much as anyone. But we have come to a crossroads when it comes to the staffing of our County Fire Department. Madera County began a Cooperative agreement with CAL FIRE to manage the County Fire Dept. in 1928. This is the longest Cooperative relationship ...

By Bree Lewis — Before recently, I had never been out of the country, not even to Mexico, or even on a plane for that matter. So, when I received an email saying “Volunteer in Thailand this Winter Break for Only 500 Dollars,” it was like winning a fake free cruise on one of those pop-up links: you never actually ...

MADERA COUNTY – Following are details from the Madera County Sheriff’s Office of reports taken locally from Monday, Feb. 6 to Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017: Coarsegold theft On Monday, Feb. 6 at 7:05 p.m. a deputy was dispatched to the 46000 block of Lucky Lane regarding a report of a theft. This case has been closed, pending investigative leads. Coarsegold ...

EASTERN MADERA COUNTY — The campaign committee, Citizens, Firefighters, & Deputies for Measure L is holding a series of public safety forums in Madera County to discuss the proposed Madera County Public Safety Sales Tax, titled Measure L, scheduled for a special election on Mar. 7. The forums will include speakers who represent citizens, Madera County firefighters and sheriff’s deputies. ...

OAKHURST – “As residents of this county we’ve been gambling that nobody in our public safety ranks would lose their life in the line of duty, and we can’t keep going on like we’ve been going.” These are the sentiments expressed by firefighters and sheriff’s deputies as they gathered today at the old Blockbuster in Oakhurst before heading out to ...

MADERA COUNTY — The Cedar Valley area remains impacted by rains, says the Madera County Sheriff’s Office. An evacuation advisory is still in effect for Lakeside Drive south of the Fire Station, Deer Run Trail Road, Lazy Oak Drive, and Cedar Place. Residents in these areas should be prepared to evacuate immediately if conditions change. The east side of Church Street ...

OAKHURST – The local chapter of the nonprofit organization Helping One Woman (HOW) will meet on Wednesday, Feb. 15, at the Elks Lodge, in support of Coarsegold resident Martha Medina and family, on behalf of son, Nicolas. Nic was in an auto accident on Oct. 28, 2016. He sustained traumatic brain injury and was airlifted to Community Regional Medical Center and, much later, ...

CENTRAL SIERRA — Mud slides, roadway flooding, evacuation warnings, and trees falling across roadways are just some of the emergencies to which firefighters, CHP, Sheriff’s deputies, PG&E, Caltrans and County Roads are responding today. Currently there are dangerous road conditions in the following areas of Eastern Madera County: Road 274 at Marina View – mud/debris in roadway Highway 41 on ...

MADERA COUNTY — The public forum on Measure L scheduled for tonight in Yosemite Lakes Park has been cancelled due to flooding at the YLP Clubhouse. The meeting will be rescheduled. There are several public meetings scheduled over the next two weeks that will allow residents to learn more about the proposed Public Safety Sales Tax known as Measure L: ...

CENTRAL SIERRA — The National Weather Service in Hanford has issued a Flash Flood Warning for central Mariposa County, central Madera County, east-central Merced County, southern Tuolumne County, northwestern Tulare County, central Fresno County, effective until 2:45 p.m. today. Local law enforcement officials have reported flooding due to heavy rain across the area. Estimated rainfall rates are one-quarter to one-half ...