Submitted by Ryan Schulte — MOUNTAIN AREA — Despite the torrential downpours, Sierra Mountain Little League continues develop a top notch sports experience for kids in the mountain area. The board, led by Dalene Stephens and Troy Smock, has significantly improved the league through management and exceptional volunteer fundraising. The league is making significant investments in the field and coaching ...

NORTH FORK — With the mandatory evacuation order lifted for the North Fork area, the Sierra National Forest (SNF) Bass Lake Ranger District office is expected to resume normal operations Tuesday, Jan. 17. The office will be closed in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday, Jan. 16. The District Office and several residential areas in North Fork ...

OAKHURST — The Town Hall meeting postponed from Thursday, Jan. 12, has been rescheduled for Thursday, Jan. 19, same time, same place. District 5 Supervisor Tom Wheeler will host his first Town Hall meeting of the new year at the Oakhurst Community Center from 6 to 8 p.m. On the agenda is an update on the tree mortality situation in ...

MOUNTAIN AREA — Delays on Highway 41 around the Broken Bit in Coarsegold this morning had drivers waiting up to an hour, reportedly, for tree work in the area. We checked in with Caltrans spokesman Cory Burkarth who gave us the answers commuters may be looking for regarding the massive hazard tree removal project that’s expected to continue for quite some ...

MADERA COUNTY — Madera County District 5 Supervisor Tom Wheeler announced Tuesday he has reconsidered and will run for re-election in the June, 2018 primary election. Wheeler, who has served two years of his third four-year term, announced in November 2016 that he would not seek a fourth term, due to health reasons. After fighting some health issues and seeing ...

MOUNTAIN AREA — The foothills are under a continual threat of flooding through Wednesday afternoon, says the National Weather Service, with the high country facing the possibility of more flooding as the winter storm warning remains in effect. The next storm is expected to bring heavy rain locally, with the chance of significant rises along small streams and rivers for Tuesday ...

BASS LAKE — Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) is cautioning that flows from the Crane Valley Dam spillway will continue and likely increase as unusual amounts of rain fall in the area. The dam is functioning as designed, says PG&E, who notes they are carefully monitoring Crane Valley to ensure safe operation of the hydro facility. “Due to the ...

NORTH FORK — The Sierra National Forest has announced that due to public and employee safety concerns as weather conditions intensify, the Bass Lake Office has been closed temporarily. Over the weekend the Sierra National Forest received a significant amount of rainfall and with the snow levels above 9000 ft., a large amount of snow from recent storms has melted ...

MADERA COUNTY – Following are details from the Madera County Sheriff’s Office of reports taken locally from Monday, Jan. 2 to Sunday, Jan. 8, 2017: Oakhurst robbery and carjacking On Monday, Jan. 2 at 1:46 a.m. a deputy was dispatched to the Best Western Hotel located in Oakhurst on CA-41, regarding a report of a robbery and a carjacking. During ...

NORTH FORK — A torrential downpour this morning kept residents on edge as more rain created dangerous conditions for those traveling the roadways in a town that has already had some residents evacuated. County Roads and CHP officers were busy responding to reports of mudslides and flooded roadways, as Sheriff’s deputies continue to monitor water levels and notify residents in ...