COARSEGOLD – A Coarsegold man accused of repeatedly abusing a child is now behind bars. Madera County sheriff’s deputies arrested James Martin Salsgiver, 58, late this afternoon at a gas station in Coarsegold. The Sheriff’s Office says they are not releasing details about this case in order to protect the victim.

MADERA COUNTY – An alleged identity thief caught trying to pass a doctored check is due in court tomorrow in Bass Lake. Sheriff deputies arrested Matthew Howard Barker, 38, of Fresno, last week after he presented an altered driver’s license in an attempt to pass a phony check in Coarsegold, according to the Sheriff’s Office. A sharp-eyed cashier, who was ...

YOSEMITE LAKES PARK – A golden retriever who apparently does not like big trucks, showed its distaste for them by attacking a FedEx driver in YLP last week. On Sept. 23, just after 2 p.m., a FedEx truck was headed west on Holiday Drive. As is often the case, the doors on the truck were open as it made its ...

Written by Guest Columnist Ed Hart Friday—it’s sunny, 85 degrees, with clear skies, and my dear sweet Ann was reading the local e-news paper and sees a story about how this group is going up to some high Sierra lakes, to pick up trash and do good and all that warm, fuzzy feel good stuff, so she says, “It’s not ...

OAKHURST – A single vehicle roll-over on wet roads near Oakhurst this afternoon sent one man to the hospital and slowed traffic as first responders rendered aid to the elderly driver. Paul Lutz, 87, of Oakhurst, was westbound on Road 426 at about 5 p.m., just past Sierra Lakes, when he lost control of his pickup and went off the ...

NORTH FORK – With the stressful fire season we’ve had this year, everyone wants to support our firefighters. There’s one way to do it that would really make a difference – become part of the North Fork Volunteer Fire Department (NFVFD) Auxiliary. The NFVFD Auxiliary started in 2003 with 17 people who saw a need in the community to financially ...

YOSEMITE – Fire crews have nearly contained the Meadow Fire in Yosemite National Park, allowing more areas to be re-opened. However, there is still active fire, fire caused hazards and fire crews in the area. In order to maintain the safety of park visitors and allow fire management operations to continue unimpeded, the Superintendent of Yosemite National Park is designating ...

MADERA COUNTY – A fight between two men in Raymond this afternoon has landed one in the hospital and the other behind bars. Terry Glenn Jones, Jr., 39, aka Glen Jones and “Spaz,” sits behind bars facing charges of attempted murder. Just after 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 25, deputies responded to a report of a stabbing victim who had ...

Guest Column contributed by Yosemite Area Audubon Society Even if you don’t consider yourself an expert birder, if you have traveled some of our back roads with an observant eye, you may have noticed that ground squirrel burrows sometimes house a family of Burrowing Owls. Their somewhat comical appearance and behavior make them easily recognizable. Our foothills area hosts a ...

OAKHURST – Duo Pangelica will present a concert of music for two harps on Sunday, Oct. 19, at 1 p.m. in the sanctuary of Hope Lutheran Church in Oakhurst. Pangelica features the talents of Ellie Choate of Coarsegold and Long Beach, and Jacquelyn Venter of Folsom. They also appear regularly as founding members of The American Harp Quartet. Their Sunday ...