OAKHURST — Local timber sports superstar Nate Hodges is opening a new club in Oakhurst called Yosemite Axe Throwing. “I’m hoping to open this weekend but with the end of the year and holidays approaching, it’s taking longer than I anticipated to bind an insurance policy,” Hodges told SNO this week. The new club, which features nine individual throwing lanes, ...

OAKHURST — A sharp-eyed sheriff’s deputy spoiled two thieves’ gambling spree — and saved the holiday season for one local store. The incident began around 6 p.m. on Saturday when Madera County Sheriff’s Deputy Charlie Robertson responded to a call for service at a business in the 40000 block of Highway 49 where the owner had reported the theft of ...

MADERA — Madera County’s chief administrative officer resigned Friday amid escalating accusations by County employees of a hostile work environment at the County Government Center. Fleming’s resignation was announced Friday afternoon following a closed session of Madera County’s board of supervisors, which Fleming did not attend. “The board has approved Eric Fleming’s resignation agreement and release,” said Board Chair Brett ...

NORTH FORK — Mother Nature has tapped the brakes on North Fork’s highly anticipated new roundabout. The recent series of storms — including a rare “bomb cyclone” — has forced contractors on the job to slow the pace of work, according to Ahmad Alkhayyat, Madera County’s director of public works. Construction of Madera County’s first public roundabout began in mid-June ...

NORTH FORK — Despite ongoing uncertainty surrounding PG&E’s bankruptcy and its potential impact on North Fork’s proposed new biomass plant, project proponents remain optimistic ground could still be broken as early as next year. Plans and permits are in place and equipment is ready for shipment but financing the complicated deal has yet to be worked out. Adding to the ...

MADERA — Lawyers and investigators are still trying to coordinate a visit to the crime scene in the case of a 47-year-old North Fork man charged with murder in the July shooting death of prominent Mono tribal elder Gaylen Lee. Robert Eugene Moye Jr. made another appearance in Madera County Superior Court on Monday (Dec. 2) morning. Handcuffed and wearing ...

MADERA — The Madera County Board of Supervisors held a rare special meeting Monday to choose a health care services provider for adult and juvenile inmates in county correctional facilities. The special meeting began at 8:30 a.m. at the County Government Center in Madera. (Supervisors will not hold their regular meeting on Tuesday this week because they will be traveling ...

OAKHURST — Camarena Health’s Oakhurst clinic is now offering new walk-in weekend and evening hours. And according to the Madera-based community health center’s chief executive officer, Camarena’s brand new urgent care clinic should be open very soon. Paulo Soares, Camerena CEO, said his organization is awaiting final approval from state licensing agencies before opening the urgent care clinic, which is ...

OAKHURST — After 34 years in business, eastern Madera County’s oldest established fine arts gallery is closing its doors. The decision to shutter the popular Timberline Gallery was confirmed this week by Wendy Denton, president of  Timberline’s board of directors. “After much brainstorming and soul searching,” Denton stated, “it has become obvious that Timberline Gallery will have to close. Although ...

OAKHURST — A popular local pet groomer has been forced to close up shop. Liz Hunter, who for nearly five years has operated “Liz is Grooming” inside the former Oakhurst Feed & Pet Supply, came in to her shop last Monday (Nov. 4) to find that her electricity was out. “At first, I thought it was another PG&E power shut ...