YOSEMITE – As the federal government shutdown drags on into the new year, Yosemite National Park remains open, however reports have been flooding in of people using the roadsides as bathrooms, discarding trash everywhere and endangering natural resources. Park officials announced today that there will now be limited access to the park along the Highway 41 corridor from the South ...

Contributed by Len McKenzie, YAAS – MOUNTAIN AREA – The Audubon Christmas Bird Count (CBC) continues this week, as intrepid observers in Oakhurst and Merced take to the field for one day to make a record of all the birds they see and hear. Organized by ornithologist Frank Chapman of the American Museum of Natural History in 1900 as an ...

Csilla Schulcz passed away on Nov. 26, 2018 at the age of 59. She was born on Aug 24, 1959, in Budapest, Hungary, to Eva and Gyorgy Enyedy. She grew up in communist Hungary and studied art and photography after high school. Csilla worked at Hungarian television as a movie editor until she moved to Germany and waited three years ...

OAKHURST – The Madera County Sheriff’s Office is searching for a suspect (or suspects) in connection with a break-in at Sullivan’s Tire Pros on Christmas Day. At about 1:45 p.m. on Dec. 25, deputies responded to an alarm call on the north end of the Enterprise Center on Highway 49 in Oakhurst. Upon arrival, deputies discovered that the front door ...

YOSEMITE – Yosemite National Park is open, however visitor services are limited due to the lapse in federal appropriations. During the government shutdown, national parks are working to remain as open and accessible to the American people as possible, say park officials. Unfortunately, Wawona Campground and Hodgdon Meadow Campground are closed due to impacts from human waste and public safety ...

MADERA – An Oakhurst man accused of embezzlement, grand theft, and contracting without a license was back in Madera Superior Court today to consider a deal from prosecutors. Marc Demasters, 38, was arrested on Nov. 29, following a months-long investigation by the Madera County Sheriff’s Office. Detectives received several reports of fraud as far back as August 2018 regarding well ...

NORTH FORK – The North Fork Rancheria has developed a Tribal Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan for approval by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Prior to review and approval by FEMA, the Tribe would like the community to review the plan. The Plan is available online and in the Tribal Government Offices for your review from Dec. 14, 2018 to Jan. ...

YOSEMITE – With the federal government shut down, you will still be able to visit Yosemite National Park, but there will be some areas and services that are not available. Visitor services in the park may be diminished or areas may be closed due to environmental, public safety, or other unknown factors. Also, road and weather information will not be ...

Richard F. Poitras passed away on Nov. 23, 2018, at Fresno Regional Medical Center of a heart attack. He was just shy of his 86 birthday. Dad served in the U.S. Navy on board the USS Essex as an Aviation Ordanceman (AO3). He was honorably discharged and worked as a log faller in Oregon and California. He drove more heavy ...

NORTH FORK – On Friday, Dec. 21, Public Coffee House will be serving a free Mountain Community Christmas dinner from 5 to 7 p.m. Everyone is invited to enjoy a dinner of glazed ham, green bean casserole, rice pilaf and other goodies. Then on Saturday, Dec. 22, the crew at PCH will be serving up a Community Christmas breakfast of ...