EASTERN MADERA COUNTY — A local graduate student is conducting a survey to help understand public perceptions of tree mortality in Eastern Madera County. Everyone is invited to please take just 10 minutes to help this dedicated student complete an important class project. All responses are confidential. Thank you for your participation! Please click here to take the 10 minute ...

NORTH FORK — A high speed motorcycle chase in the North Fork area ended with one person on the way to the hospital, and another still at large. At about 1:30 p.m. Sheriff’s Deputy Ian Roth initiated a stop in downtown North Fork on a 2004 KTM motorcycle, for an unregistered vehicle. The driver, described as a male, about 6′ ...

CENTRAL CALIFORNIA — The National Weather Service in Hanford has issued a Flash Flood Watch for a wide area of the central and southern Sierra from 4 a.m. today through 4 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 18. A strong and moist Pacific storm will bring widespread rain to much of the area Friday. Periods of moderate to heavy rain will lead ...

MADERA COUNTY — As residents consider their vote on Measure L, the proposed Public Safety Tax scheduled for the Mar. 7 special election, many are questioning the information they’re getting and want answers from the County clarifying details of the measure. We contacted the County to get their response to questions we’ve received from the public, and to assertions put ...

RAYMOND — District 5 Supervisor Tom Wheeler will hold the next in his series of Town Hall meetings on Thursday, Feb. 23, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Raymond-Knowles Elementary School Cafeteria. Of immediate interest to residents will be a presentation on Measure L, the Public Safety Sale Tax Measure scheduled for a vote on Mar. 7. Georgiena Vivian ...

CLOVIS – The Sierra National Forest and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) have been awarded $3.3 million to implement the “Central Sierra Recovery and Restoration” Project through the Joint Chiefs’ Landscape Restoration Partnership. The funding is aimed at allowing the Forest Service and NRCS, along with state and local partners, to continue to improve the health and resiliency of ...

MADERA COUNTY – The Madera County Sheriff’s Office official lifted all evacuation warnings related to the recent flood activity at 5:30 p.m. today. While residents likely breathed a sigh of relief as rains abated, there is more precipitation in the forecast, starting on Thursday afternoon. With the ground saturated and periods of rain predicted into the weekend, those in low-lying ...

NORTH FORK — Though the road to Whisky Falls in the Sierra National Forest has been closed for the season, some may still try to access the area, only to discover that the roadway has washed out. About 1.6 miles up the mountain from the intersection with Road 223 (Cascadel), Forest Road 8S09 is completely washed out. Forest engineers are ...

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 ...

MARIPOSA — The Cal Fire Madera-Mariposa-Merced Unit (MMU) has personnel ready to respond if needed to assist in the Oroville area as thousands evacuate the area below the dam. Just before 5 p.m. yesterday, residents of Oroville and surrounding communities along the Feather River were ordered to leave immediately as officials feared the auxiliary spillway at the Oroville dam was ...