MOUNTAIN AREA — It’s the weekend. You’d love to be hiking or fishing, hanging out at the lake, or just relaxing with a good book. But with the overwhelming number of jobs that need doing around the house, you’re likely falling way behind on weedeating, hauling things away, sprucing up the property, and splitting up wood from all those dead ...

MADERA COUNTY – Madera County officials welcome new County Librarian Patrick Fitzgerald to Madera. Fitzgerald, who grew up near Allentown, PA and has worked with multiple rural library systems, joined Madera County on Apr. 1. Most recently, he served as the Director of the Harnett County Public Library in North Carolina. In his capacity as the County Librarian, Fitzgerald oversees ...

MADERA COUNTY — With H.R. 5079 having been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on Apr. 27, the North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians once again faces a challenge to their plans for a Class III gaming facility on 305 acres of land near Madera. Yesterday, the Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians posted an open letter on Indianz.com to ...

MADERA COUNTY — Yesterday we reported on H.R. 5079, which was introduced on Apr. 27 in the U.S. House of Representatives, seeking to “amend the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act to require that, in California, certain off-reservation gaming proposals shall be subject to the full ratification and referendum process established by California State law, and for other purposes.” The bill is ...

MARIPOSA COUNTY — The Madera-Mariposa-Merced Unit of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) has restricted all burning below 1,500 feet in Mariposa County to the hours between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. on permissive burn days only, effective Thursday, May 12, at 8 a.m. Additional information may be obtained at your local Cal Fire station or ...

MADERA COUNTY — After a dozen years of planning and court battles, the North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians are once again the target of actions that could jeopardize progress on their Class III casino, planned for 305 acres of land near Madera, and County Supervisors are mad. H.R. 5079, which was introduced on Apr. 27 in the U.S. House ...

NORTH FORK — Nickels, dimes and quarters — and the occasional bill — dropped into a jar labeled “Deputy Dog” have added up over the past 10 years to the healthy sum of $2,000 at the Thrift Store at Grace Community Church. The Friendship Circle was delighted to present a check for that amount to Madera County Sheriff Jay Varney ...

Contributed by Len McKenzie — University of California Berkeley professor Joseph Grinnell, in 1914, embarked on an intensive six-year ecological study of the animals of Yosemite National Park, the first of its kind in western North America. The goal of this study was simple: to understand the animals of Yosemite and their “….local distribution…general life areas…, and food relations; breeding ...

NORTH FORK — Mountain Head Start in North Fork held its second annual Dad’s Day on Thursday, Apr. 28. Everyone had a great time as dads, grandpas, uncles, older brothers, family and friends joined in with the children for a game of T-ball. Adults helped with coaching, fielding, and a lot of cheerleading. Afterwards, those in attendance enjoyed lunch with ...

AHWANNEE — Singer, songwriter, humorist and small town philosopher Antsy McClain writes what he knows: The good life. Antsy will be sharing a slice of that good life at The Coolwater Ranch on Saturday, May 21 at 8 p.m. and passes are now available at Oakurst Feed and Mountain Feed and Nursery in Coarsegold. Staging his live shows from a ...