MADERA COUNTY – Following are details from the Madera County Sheriff’s Office of reports taken locally from Monday, Dec. 12 to Sunday, Dec. 18, 2016: North Fork vandalism to mailboxes  On Monday, Dec. 12 at 6:37 a.m. a deputy was dispatched to Road 200 and Wyle Ranch Road regarding a vandalism to a community mailboxes. A report was taken and ...

OAKHURST — Monday morning at Sierra Seafood has gotten off to a very rough start, as one of their four trucks has been reported stolen from their loading dock at at 40134 Enterprise Drive in Oakhurst. According to owner Joe Sweat, the day began routinely. By about 8:30 a.m. the 2015 Dodge 4500 truck was warming up in the loading dock to get its ...

MARIPOSA COUNTY — The name of a Mariposa County man who died as a result of injuries sustained in a three-vehicle collision on Highway 41 last week has been released. Brian Chilcott, 40, passed away after being airlifted to Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno following a head-on collision on Highway 41 near the Rocky Cut between Roads 208 and ...

NORTH FORK — On Saturday morning, Dec. 17, Madera County Sheriff’s deputies were called to a residence on Road 225 near North Fork after a man found his mother deceased on her front porch. According to the MCSO, the initial investigation revealed that the woman had injuries and had apparently been in some type of altercation. At about the same ...

NORTH FORK — The Madera County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed the death of Bonnie Hale, 76, of North Fork. Another woman, Mary O’Keefe, is currently behind bars on allegations of murder. According to MCSO Commander Bill Ward, the victim’s son contacted the Sheriff’s Office on Saturday morning, Dec. 17, before 10 a.m. The son, Bobby Hale, Jr., reportedly found his ...

NORTH FORK — For a limited time, Eastern Madera County has access to two air curtain burners to dispose of woody slash materials, says Justine Reynolds, Program Development Manager of Yosemite/Sequoia RC&D Council. The burners were purchased by Cal Fire to travel throughout the Governor’s pre-identified High Hazard Counties. Air curtain burners are currently the best alternative to open burning, ...

YOSEMITE — After being closed overnight due to winter storm warning and flood watch, all roads in Yosemite have been reopened as of 9 a.m. today, say Park officials. Tioga Pass and Glacier Point remain closed for the winter. The Merced River crested below flood stage early this morning, resulting in no major damage to park roads or operations. All roads leading into ...

SACRAMENTO — Senator Tom Berryhill (R-Twain Harte) released the following statement on President Obama signing the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act (WIIN): “This bipartisan plan does a host of good for California. Our current water infrastructure was built a long time ago and is nowhere near what this state requires now to deliver water to families, farms and ...

YOSEMITE — The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning and flash flood watch for today, Thursday through Friday, Dec. 15, for the Yosemite region. Flooding is forecast to occur on the Merced River in Yosemite Valley. Two to four inches of rain are forecasted today through Friday, with some areas receiving as much as six inches. Heavy ...

MADERA COUNTY — Highway 41 was blocked for the second time today due to a head-on collision, this time just south of the Rocky Cut and north of the 22 Mile House. Just after 3 p.m., reports came in of the two-vehicle accident between Road 406 and Road 208. The first engine on scene reported two people pinned in their ...