OAKHURST – First responders were called out to reports of a car into a building on Golden Oak Loop Tuesday afternoon just after 2 p.m. An Oakhurst woman was arriving at the dental offices of Dr. Peters and Dr. Jones when the she reportedly stepped on the gas instead of the brake, causing the Hyundai to jump the parking barrier ...

MADERA COUNTY — Tracy Kennedy, Madera County Treasurer-Tax Collector, reports that over $82 million in property tax payments were collected and posted from the Dec. 10 property tax deadline. “All payments were posted and balanced by Thursday, Dec. 17,” says Kennedy. “That’s amazing given that we had a new electronic posting system that we had to become familiar with, together ...

MADERA COUNTY – It has been more than a year since a California ballot referendum delayed the groundbreaking on the North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians’ planned casino on Highway 99 just north of Madera. The project is once again moving forward after the State of California chose not to appeal a federal judge’s ruling that the State has failed ...

MADERA COUNTY — Sheriff Jay Varney is pleased to announce the promotion of three Sheriff’s Office employees and the swearing in of two new deputy sheriffs. Joseph Wilder was promoted to Sergeant. He has been with the Madera County Sheriff’s Office since April of 2004, and had also been an Explorer with the Sheriff’s Office from 1997 until 2004. Rainbow ...

Contributed by Yosemite Area Audubon Society – “No one who has ever seen wild California condors circling majestically among the clouds will ever forget the riveting nature of the experience or question why we, as a society, should make every effort possible to promote the full recovery of this species,” wrote Noel and Helen Snyder, authors of Introduction to the ...

COARSEGOLD — A single vehicle accident on Yosemite Springs Parkway forced the closure of the road for several hours this afternoon after live power lines fell into the roadway. Just after 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 31, Nolan Griffith, 23, of Coarsegold was eastbound on the Parkway in a 2010 Hyundai Elantra, when he lost control of the vehicle, which spun ...

YOSEMITE — Yosemite National Park is expecting to welcome an increase in visitors this upcoming holiday weekend. Recent storms have left ample snow for visitors to enjoy the many winter recreation activities Yosemite National Park has to offer. Below are a few tips and guidelines to follow if you are planning a trip for the upcoming New Year weekend. · ...

NORTH FORK – While it’s not really their mission to purchase equipment for stations other than Madera County Fire Department Station 11, the North Fork Fire Department Auxiliary voted unanimously at their December meeting to spend nearly $2,500 to buy an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) for the Rancheria Cal Fire Station on Road 200. Many Cal Fire Stations do not ...

YOSEMITE — Yosemite National Park Rangers have sworn in 22,600 Junior Rangers so far this year, setting a record for the most number of Junior Rangers in a year. Each of these young people completed their duties, either by attending a Junior Ranger program or completing a booklet, and took an oath to continue to “Explore, Learn, and Protect” Yosemite ...

COARSEGOLD — More than 14 months after a federal judge ordered the closing of the Chukchansi Gold Resort and Casino over public and employee safety concerns, the doors will be reopened and employees will return to work, according to District 5 Supervisor Tom Wheeler. Thursday, Dec. 31, at 10 a.m. has been announced as the first day of business at ...