NORTH FORK – A single vehicle accident on Road 222 just north of Manzanita Lake Drive ended with a medical airlift by SkyLife from the North Fork School for one of the involved parties. Just after 5 p.m., Martin Collazos was headed in to the North Fork Supermarket when he came upon a white Dodge pickup crashed into the bank ...

MARIPOSA COUNTY – The Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office says the deputy shot during a traffic stop yesterday morning just south of Mariposa is listed in critical but stable condition at this hour. They report that he is able to respond to voice commands and make eye contact with visitors. Many Sheriff’s Office staff and family members have been with him ...

MADERA COUNTY – At 1:30 p.m today in Department 21 of the Madera County Superior Court, Michael Lee Lapschies was arraigned on eight felony counts of arson and one felony count of making criminal threats. Lapschies was arrested on Wednesday, Sept. 30, after a series of eight fires in the Bass Lake area. The first was reported just before 3 ...

MARIPOSA COUNTY – Sheriff Doug Binnewies says the suspect who shot a Mariposa County Sheriff’s deputy this morning after a chase through town apparently wanted to be pulled over. In an interview with ABC30’s Gene Haagenson this evening, Sheriff Binnewies said it appears that Brian Ballasch was intentionally driving in an erratic manner and dangerously passed a marked deputy’s patrol ...

MADERA COUNTY – A suspect has been arrested in connection with a rash of fires in the Bass Lake area yesterday. According to Cal Fire, there were eight separate ignitions, with the first reported just before 3 p.m. on Road 222 near Pettitt Road. Crews responded to a second fire about 30 minutes later on Road 222 near Miller’s Landing, ...

MARIPOSA COUNTY – A Mariposa County Sheriff’s deputy was shot this morning during a traffic stop, and has been airlifted to a Valley hospital. At approximately 6 a.m., sheriff deputies initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle due to erratic driving. A pursuit ensued on Highway 49 just south of the town of Mariposa. The suspect, Brian Ballasch, a 35-year-old ...

OAKHURST – Cal Fire has detained an unidentified individual for questioning in connection with a series of fires in the Bass Lake area today. Just before 3 p.m., firefighters responded to reports of a vegetation fire on Road 222 between the Mountain House and Bass Lake. Witnesses didn’t see the fire start, but report that several people were stopping and ...

The community of North Fork is saddened to learn of the passing of Volney Dunavan who lost her battle with cancer on Monday afternoon, Sept 28. Volney’s daughter Dyhana was with her and says her passing was peaceful. “Mama has passed and her journey is over,” Dyhana posted. “She’s reached her destination, she’s free and finally at peace, and no ...

MADERA COUNTY – With a lot of misinformation being bandied about concerning whether or not the Madera County Board of Supervisors voted to give themselves a raise, we contacted Chief Administrative Officer Eric Fleming and Director of Human Resources Adrienne Calip for clarification. On Jan. 13 of this year, CAO Fleming appeared before the Board to address the fact that ...

Reposted from District 3 Supervisor Rick Farinelli’s website – As Madera County enters its fourth year of drought, fire danger is at an all time high, particularly in our rural mountain communities. The county contracts its fire services with CAL FIRE. Currently, there are 16 fire stations across the county staffed by 30 paid personnel, 8 seasonal paid personnel, and ...