OAKHURST – The California Carvers Guild, along with the Oakhurst Area Chamber of Commerce and Visit Yosemite/Madera County, are proud to bring you the 9th Annual Woodcarver’s Rendezvous at the Oakhurst Community Center during the week of Apr. 17-23. Woodcarvers travel from far and wide to attend this unique event located just outside Yosemite’s southern entrance along Highway 41. “This ...

MOUNTAIN AREA — For the past few days, we have been receiving calls, messages and emails about the big booms people are hearing across the Central Sierra, so we have tracked down some information and it turns out there are two different activities occuring at once. There is multi-agency training underway, known as RED FLAG, involving personnel from Nellis Air ...

CLOVIS – The Sierra National Forest is happy to announce the selection of the new Bass Lake Ranger, Denise Tolmie. In November Denise was detailed into the Acting District Ranger position from her position as Fuels Officer for the Sierra National Forest. Denise has worked for the Forest Service for the past 33 years. Eighteen of those years were spent ...

Bill Ritchey is a native of Chowchilla. As a young adult, he worked for 10 years in Madera County as an EMT, Paramedic, Operations Manager and partner at Pistoresi Ambulance Service. During that time, he also completed his education as a Registered Nurse and worked as a Certified Emergency Nurse. Bill was involved in advocacy for local emergency services, and ...

COARSEGOLD — Tom Wheeler will host his next Town Hall meeting on Thursday, Feb. 11, at Yosemite Lakes Park Clubhouse from 6 to 8 p.m. On the agenda for the meeting is a talk by the new District Ranger on the Bass Lake Ranger District, Denise Tolmie. There will also be a presentation by the president of Reedley College and ...

YOSEMITE — NatureBridge, the largest residential environmental education partner of the National Park Service, opened registration for the Summer Field Research Course at its Yosemite campus. This two-week immersive backcountry expedition will give participants the opportunity to conduct field science investigations in one of the most iconic national parks in the country. The course offers the ultimate teen summer adventure. ...

MADERA COUNTY — On Monday, Feb 8, Madera County Sheriff’s detectives arrested 35-year-old Tyler Hormel for having sexual intercourse with a minor, according to the Madera County Sheriff’s Office. Hormel is employed by the City of Chowchilla as a police officer, where he was currently assigned as a School Resource Officer. The current investigation involves conduct that occurred at a ...

Chef Grandma — I was born in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1941. My mother, father and I lived in a modest house in a middle class neighborhood. We did not have an organic garden or fruit trees. Nor did we have egg-laying hens. We did not grow herbs in the window sill or make our own ketchup. We did, however, ...

OAKHURST — The CHP is seeking the public’s help in identifying the driver of a Jeep Grand Cherokee that caused a major accident with injuries in front of the Oak Room bar last Saturday, then fled the scene. On Jan. 30, at approximately 6:45 p.m., the unidentified driver, and passenger Thom Griswold, 38, of Oakhurst, were pulling out of the ...

MADERA – Each year, children throughout Central California are seriously injured in car crashes, falls, accidents and acts of violence. They need the best medical care as quickly as possible. “Starting today, critically injured children can be transported directly to Valley Children’s Hospital, ensuring they receive the expert pediatric care they deserve even sooner than before – beginning in the ...