MADERA — Madera County Department of Public Health (MCDPH) officials reported 25 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, bringing the total number of cases countywide to 566.As of 4 p.m., MCDPH was reporting a total of 226 currently active cases — and 335 recoveries. Thirteen of the active cases are serious enough to require hospitalization.Health officials also are currently “monitoring” ...

OAKHURST – The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the National Park Service to make adjustments to how park visitors access Yosemite this summer. But there’s a silver lining: Park visitors are reporting more intimate, leisurely –and safe — experiences. Each day 1,700 day-use park passes are available via online reservation. While the situation is not ideal when passes sell out, local ...

MADERA — Madera County Department of Public Health (MCDPH) officials reported 22 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, raising the total number of cases countywide to 541. As of 4 p.m., MCDPH was reporting a total of 216 active cases — and 320 recoveries. Fourteen of the active cases are serious enough to require hospitalization.Health officials also are currently “monitoring” ...

SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom has ordered indoor dining and bar services closed in 19 California counties including Fresno, Tulare, Kings and Merced. The action, announced Wednesday, is part of a rollback of the governor’s phased reopening plan and comes amid a troubling spike over the past two weeks in new COVID-19 cases.In addition to restaurants, wineries and tasting rooms, ...

MOUNTAIN AREA — Sierra National Forest officials are reminding visitors to the National Forest that campfire restrictions are in effect and will continue through the July 4th weekend — “and beyond.” “Outside of open developed recreation sites and certain permitted facilities, igniting, building, maintaining or using a fire on the SNF and national forests in California will be prohibited,” stated ...

MADERA — Madera County Department of Public Health (MCDPH) officials reported 31 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, raising the total number of cases countywide to 519. As of 4 p.m., MCDPH was reporting a total of 210 active cases — and 304 recoveries. Twelve of the active cases are serious enough to require hospitalization.Health officials also are currently “monitoring” ...

MADERA — The Madera County Board of Supervisors held a brief, 30-minute “special meeting” Tuesday, tying up some loose ends on the last day of the County’s fiscal year.The board’s main orders of business involved approving an annual $100 road maintenance levy on Bass Lake property owners and authorizing a letter to state lawmakers opposing SB 474, which seeks to ...

MOUNTAIN AREA — More pets get lost on July 4th than any other day of the year, according to Humane Society of the U.S. To help mitigate the surge in lost animals during the Independence Day holiday this weekend, the Madera County Animal Shelter (MCAS) is running a special on microchips to help keep pets safer — easier to reunite ...

MADERA — Madera County Department of Public Health (MCDPH) reported 73 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, raising the total number of cases countywide to 488. Monday’s update represents new cases confirmed Saturday, Sunday and today.The surge in new cases at the start of a new week follows Madera County’s worst week since the pandemic began — and appears to ...

SACRAMENTO — Shortly after noon on Sunday, Governor Gavin Newsom announced via Twitter that he was ordering the closure of all bars in Fresno, Tulare and Kings counties immediately because of surging COVID-19 cases. The neighboring Valley counties — as well as five other So. Cal counties — have seen more than 2,000 total cases, including the surge in new ...