SIERRA NATIONAL FOREST – The Rough Fire, which continues to impact the Central Sierra with dense smoke, has now grown to 49,440 acres, with 17 percent containment. The fire was reported on July 31, and was lightning-caused. There are currently 2,126 personnel assigned to the incident, including 24 crews, 148 engines and 10 helicopters. The fire has been divided into ...

Written by Ronnie Sweeting – Producer/Mariposa Evenings MARIPOSA – Cousin Jack’s Mariposa Evenings – brought to you by The Mariposa County Arts Council and its many fine sponsors – rolls out the second to last weekend of the 2015 season, presenting, live, in concert, J. J. Rymer on Friday, Aug. 21, and Good Medicine on Saturday, Aug. 22. Singer/songwriter J. ...

CENTRAL SIERRA – Four years of drought have put tremendous stress on trees in California’s forests, resulting in widespread mortality. While bark beetles are the primary cause of mortality for most pine and fir trees, other trees such as incense cedar and live oak are simply dying from lack of water. Extensive tree mortality is occurring in many areas across ...

MARIPOSA COUNTY – A single vehicle rollover on Harris Road last night has claimed the life of a Mariposa man. Just before 11 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 20, John Pool, 68, was westbound on Harris Road in a 1986 Volkswagen microbus just west of Highway 49. As he was negotiating a sharp turn, the vehicle left the roadway and went ...

O’NEALS – A sleepy driver behind the wheel was the apparent cause of an accident on Road 200 near Butterfield Stage Road this morning. Just after 7:30 this morning, Dante Fabris, 20, of North Fork, was eastbound on Road 200 just past the Ponderosa Telephone offices at a stated speed of 60 mph when he reportedly fell asleep at the ...

SIERRA NATIONAL FOREST – The Rough Fire, burning 50 miles southeast of Eastern Madera County and north of Hume Lake, continues to challenge fire crews, growing to 32,414 acres with just 3 percent containment. The size and complexity of the suppression efforts have prompted fire officials to call in an additional Incident Management Team, dividing the fire into two sections, ...

MADERA COUNTY – The next time you are summoned to appear for jury duty, the experience is likely to be far more pleasant as you report to the brand new Madera County Courthouse that replaces the century-old building in which the court has been operating. On Friday, Aug. 14, several hundred people gathered for a ribbon cutting and tour of ...

MADERA COUNTY – Motorists should plan for delays over the next two weeks as work continues on Highways 41 and 49 out of Oakhurst. Northwest Paving is currently completing pavement chip seal operations, including the placement of reflectors within the center line as part of a pavement rehabilitation project scheduled to be completed by the end of the month. Portable ...

COARSEGOLD – Sheriff’s deputies responded to a commercial alarm that turned out to be an attempted burglary last night in Yosemite Lakes Park. Law enforcement is looking for a man who attempted to break into a building at the YLP Business Center on Corral Drive between 6 and 7 p.m. on Tuesday. The suspect was wearing a yellow shirt with ...

OAKHURST – The Oakhurst Area CHP Office reminds those students and parents who are entering the world of teenage driving, that they will be holding a “Start Smart” presentation at the CHP office conference room on Thursday, Aug. 27, at 6 p.m. Start Smart is a free program designed to provide teens and their parents/guardians with an interactive safe driving ...