MADERA COUNTY – As the temperatures climb into triple digits in the valley, mountain area communities have established cooling centers for residents during times of extreme summer heat. Centers are generally closed on holidays unless otherwise indicated.

MADERA COUNTY – Boys and girls between the ages of 6 and 19 are invited to participate in Madera County Soccer Fest 2014, July 29 through 31. These free soccer clinics are being offered to all youth in Madera County, with professional instruction from the youth development coaches of Chivas USA and Fresno Fuego.

BASS LAKE – While yesterday’s search for a 19-year-old Colorado woman reported missing at Bass Lake ended on a high note, Sheriff John Anderson says the incident should serve as a good reminder to everyone who ventures out alone. The unnamed jogger was part of a family contingent enjoying a reunion at Bass Lake.

MADERA COUNTY – In a rural section of the county known as Trigo, located in the vicinity of Avenue 11 and Road 32, narcotic agents discovered more than just marijuana plants. Health officials say that had the agents not stepped in when they did, in time, the growers could have possibly contaminated the ground water, putting neighboring homes at risk, ...

Madera County – In an effort to utilize a more transparent and expedient way to interact with the citizens of Madera County, as well as mass media, Sheriff John Anderson today announced the Madera County Sheriff’s Office is launching three of the most commonly used networking tools, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. All three sites are intended to provide a more ...

OAKHURST – The California Department of Health Services, Madera County Health Department and Oakhurst Mobile Home Estates are advising residents not to use the tap water for drinking and cooking until further notice. Those who live of the Oakhurst Mobile Home Estates are being notified that their water is possibly contaminated with fecal coliform.

MARIPOSA COUNTY – The Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office has now initiated the final phase of their new Emergency Notification System NIXLE. This new system can incorporate voice home phones, cell phones, email and text messages. The Sheriff will use this system to notify residents of emergency situations that can impact you and your family such as fire evacuations, weather emergencies, ...

YOSEMITE – Yosemite National Park will hold the 16th annual Apple Picking Event on Wednesday, July 30, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Curry Village in Yosemite Valley. This is an annual event that was started in an effort to help reduce bear-human contact in the park by removing non-native food sources, and to “Help Keep Yosemite’s Bears Wild.” ...

NORTH FORK – The Sierra Vista Scenic Byway Association Summer Tour series continues on Saturday, July 26 with the Willow Creek Tour. Join Marcia Freedman, author of “Willow Creek History” as she shares some of the history of the Willow Creek area. Take a short walk to Chilcoot Lake and then hike down to the confluence of Chilcoot Creek and ...

Submitted by Jannai Pero OAKHURST – The public is invited to the Oakhurst / Coarsegold Tea Party Action Meeting on Tuesday, July 15, at 6:30 p.m. at the Best Western Yosemite Gateway Inn Restaurant, 40530 Highway 41 in Oakhurst. “This is not a partisan topic,” say organizers, who invite everyone to hear guest speaker Debbie Bacigalupi detailing the “history, political, ...