OAKHURST – A single vehicle accident on Highway 49 just south of Road 600 closed the northbound lane for abut 40 minutes yesterday morning. On Wednesday, Apr. 30, a 19-year-old Coarsegold man was northbound on Highway 49 when, for unknown reasons, he allowed his 1987 Nissan pickup to drift off the right shoulder of the road, striking a large oak ...

The first fire in the series was on Saturday, May 11, along Yosemite Springs Parkway, the second the next day, Mothers Day, on Ranger Circle. Both were what Moreno referred to as “road fires,” distinguishing them from the 10 that burned near the defendants’ home on East Revis Circle. On Saturday, May 18, a fire broke out behind the home ...

Waterman testified at trial that she had been going in and out of the house, had her soccer uniform in the dryer, and that Jackson and his father were in the pool when they saw the smoke. Waterman said that she hurried to move her truck out of the driveway so she could leave for her soccer game before the ...

MARIPOSA COUNTY – The Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office has launched a new sex offender registration and public notification website called OffenderWatch®. The Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office will now be part of a nationwide network of over 5,000 law enforcement agencies. The new service is a citizen-friendly, easy to use website that enables citizens to search for potentially dangerous sex offenders ...

MARIPOSA COUNTY – The Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office will introduce a new communications service, effective Apr. 28, that allows them to send important, valuable community information directly to residents using the latest technology. “Nixle Community Information Service allows us to create and publish messages to be delivered to registered users instantly via cell phone text message, voice dial and/or email,” ...

From the Eastern Madera County SPCA’s Pet Scoop Animal Shelter Progress – Eastern Madera County SPCA (EMC SPCA) has been working for many years to fulfill its dream of building a no-kill animal shelter. That dream is close to becoming a reality. Over the past couple of years, SPCA members have worked closely with its architect Alan Hendry, and Madera ...

MADERA COUNTY – After three months of testimony, dozens of witnesses and hundreds of exhibits, closing arguments in the trial of Kenneth Jackson and Alice Waterman wrapped up just before noon today, and the jury has begun their deliberations. The Coarsegold couple was arrested on June 25, 2013, following a string of suspicious fires in the Yosemite Lakes Park area ...

MADERA COUNTY – Family and friends of Gary and Laura Smalz were both frustrated and angry today when the sentencing of the man who took the life of the Ahwahnee couple back in 2012 was postponed once again. Gary Ragsdale, 43, of Madera, was arrested and charged with gross vehicular manslaughter and felony DUI on May 19, 2012, when he ...

MADERA – The trial of a Coarsegold couple charged with arson and conspiracy is entering its final phase in Department 2 in Madera Superior Court. Kenneth Jackson and Alice Waterman were back in court this morning as the judge gave jury instructions in advance of closing arguments set for later today.

NORTH FORK – A Minarets High School student has taken top honors at the District level of the 77th annual Lions Club Student Speakers Contest. Mikayla Kopp, 17-year-old senior at Minarets, competed in San Ramon on Saturday, Apr. 26, and was awarded $4,500 in scholarships for her speech on the subject, “Community Service – What Does It Mean and Why ...