MADERA — The Madera County Board of Supervisors this week could OK a new, recently revised ordinance regulating the growth of industrial hemp in the county. The effort to OK large-scale industrial hemp operations in Madera County has been underway for more than a year. While industrial hemp is already grown in the county on a limited basis, the new ...

Update: After Madera County Community Development Director Matthew Treber told supervisors Tuesday morning that County officials and the private landowner were still negotiating and hoped to able to reach an agreement soon, the Madera County Board of Supervisors postponed for one week (until May 12 regular meeting) any further action on the proposed eminent domain proceeding detailed in the story ...

MADERA — In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Madera County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a new policy that will allow some County employees to telework — as long as “the quality and quantity of their work is not diminished.”“The purpose of the ‘Emergency Telework Policy’ is to ensure that essential Madera County functions continue to be performed ...

MADERA — The COVID-19 pandemic is having a major impact on the County’s workforce, forcing many Madera County employees to work from home. As a result, the Madera County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday is expected to approve a new “Emergency Telework Policy.” “The purpose of the Emergency Telework Policy is to ensure that essential Madera County functions continue to ...

MADERA — Madera County supervisors are poised to give the “green” light to large-scale commercial production of industrial hemp in the county. At their regular meeting this week, supervisors are scheduled to be briefed on the latest developments regarding hemp by County ag commissioner Stevie McNeill. Last year, McNeill described the booming hemp industry as “the Wild West” — with entrepreneurs ...

MOUNTAIN COMMUNITIES — The FDA is working to address the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak and keep families informed on the latest developments. Here are answers to some frequently asked questions from consumers about blood products and face masks: Q: What steps are being taken to protect the U.S. blood supply from SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19? A: Blood donors ...

MADERA — The Madera County Board of Supervisors heard some sobering statistics this week about how COVID-19 is impacting County coffers. Joel Bugay, the County’s finance director, told supervisors at their Tuesday meeting that the pandemic will have “both short- and long-term financial impacts” for Madera County. “Revenue we had counted on potentially will not materialize,” Bugay said. At Tuesday’s ...

MADERA — County health officials are currently monitoring 80 individuals locally for signs of the coronavirus. But for the past three days, the total number of confirmed cases countywide has remained at 30. Statewide as of 7 a.m. Wednesday, there were 17,620 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with the death toll now standing at 450. On Tuesday, county health officials again reported ...

MADERA — County health officials are currently monitoring 80 individuals locally for signs of the coronavirus. But for the past several days, the total number of confirmed cases countywide has remained at 30. Again on Tuesday afternoon, county health officials reported “no new local cases” of COVID-19 over the past 24 hours. Tuesday’s report makes three days in a row ...

OAKHURST — The Madera County Sheriff’s Office deputy injured in Thursday’s shooting in Oakhurst has been identified as Neil Cuthbert, a veteran of the department who works as a detective out of the Oakhurst substation. According to MCSO officials, Cuthbert has been released from the hospital and is “at home recovering after sustaining serious facial and head injuries.” Investigators now ...