O’NEALS–The tiny town of O’Neals has had a post office since 1887. The town area of approximately 500 citizens is home to Spring Valley Elementary School, Minarets High School, including 2 Charter schools and Ponderosa Telephone.  Westbrook Wine Farm (a lovely boutique wine farm) and a handful of home businesses also call O’neals home. The local office for J. S. ...

MOUNTAIN COMMUNITIES–Owning a pet comes with benefits and challenges. An animal provides comfort and companionship to those who live alone; they are workers for those who have livestock. They offer support to those with medical conditions and are all-around fun to have in a household. Saying Goodbye The hardest part of being a companion to an animal is the goodbye. ...

OAKHURST–Earlier this week, Madera County Sheriff Tyson Pogue hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony to officially unveil the Madera Sheriff’s Logistics Facility. The facility is a 16,000 square foot warehouse with a design to exclusively house and maintain emergency equipment. It will also facilitate future disaster management. This building is more than just a storage space; it is a beacon of ...

MADERA COUNTY–We have some exciting news for all movie enthusiasts and proud members of our community! “Crypto Shadows,” is now available for viewing on major video sites. What’s incredibly special about this film? It was written, shot, and produced right here in our local Coarsegold and Oakhurst area! This is a wonderful opportunity to see familiar sights on the big ...

MADERA COUNTY–The 42nd Annual Madera County Academic Decathlon speech, interview, and Super Quiz competitions will be held on Saturday, February 3 at Madera South High School. The 2024 topic is “Technology and Humanity.” “This prestigious academic competition is so important to our students and we are looking forward to celebrating their achievements with them again this year,” said Dr. Cecilia ...

SACRAMENTO—The Cal Fire Office of the State Fire Marshall is excited to announce the appointment of Frank Bigelow to Deputy Director of Community Wildfire Preparedness & Mitigation with the Office of the State Fire Marshal. 20 Years of Experience 2004 Chief Bigelow began his CAL FIRE career as a Fire Fighter I at the Ahwahnee Station in the Madera-Mariposa-Merced Unit (MMU), ...

OAKHURST—On January 9, 2024, Cody Bulow Brown, 19 years old, received the Madera County Sheriff’s Citizen Award from the Madera County Sheriff’s Office. MCSO granted the plaque for services he and his company, CB Hauling, rendered during the major snowstorm Madera County experienced in March 2023. Lt. Ian Weaver handed the award to him at the Sunrise Rotary Club meeting ...

Stanley Gerome Whitson   August 28, 1928 to December 21, 2023 We lovingly remember Stanley Gerome Whitson, a beacon of joy and community spirit at Bass Lake, California. Born on August 28, 1928, in Bakersfield, Stanley’s journey led him to the tranquil beauty of Bass Lake following a distinguished career as an electrician. Stanley has been a part of the ...

MARIPOSA COUNTY – The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) will conduct the following one-way traffic control this week on State Route-132 (SR-132) and SR-140 for maintenance and construction operations. Work is scheduled as follows: STATE ROUTE 132 • One-way traffic control from the Mariposa/Tuolumne County line to Hidalgo Street for utility work on Thursday, January 25, 2024, from 8:00 a.m. ...

SACRAMENTO– CAL FIRE is soliciting applications for California business and workforce development projects that support healthy resilient forests and the people and ecosystems that depend on them. Who? What? When? How? Competitive projects will sequester carbon and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. A total of $20 million in funding is available. Applications will be accepted until midnight on March 8, 2024. ...