MADERA COUNTY – Over 56,000 tax bills are being mailed out this week, representing over $160 million in property taxes. The various bond charges and direct charges are included on the tax bills. “It’s that time of year again,” reports Tracy Kennedy, Madera County Treasurer-Tax Collector. “We have just begun the printing and mailing process of our property tax bills. ...

MADERA COUNTY — The newly reinvigorated K9 program at the Madera County Sheriff’s Office has just received another major financial boost with the donation of over $24,000. Chief Civil Deputy Mike Motz, president of the Madera County Deputy Sheriff’s Association (DSA), presented a check for $24,300 to the Board of Supervisors this morning, bringing their fundraising total for the K9 ...

B & B Hardware sees new life and a new owner. NORTH FORK — In this little town with a big heart lies one of California’s rare commodities these days – an old time hardware store with all the charm to boot. B & B Hardware has been around as long as most of us can remember and for the ...

MADERA COUNTY – Following are details from the Madera County Sheriff’s Office of reports taken locally from Monday, Oct. 10 to Sunday, Oct. 16, 2016: Oakhurst minor assaulted  On Monday, Oct. 10 at 9:44 a.m. a deputy was dispatched to the 49000 block of Road 427 (School Road) regarding a report of a minor being slapped by an adult. Report taken, evidence ...

SIERRA FOOTHILLS — As cooler weather rolls in, the urge to torch off those burn piles is only natural. However, Cal Fire Battalion Chief Troy Cheek warns that the fire danger has not been mitigated, and a burn ban remains in place. “We don’t foresee the ban being lifted until well into November or December,” says Cheek. “We’re going to ...

MADERA COUNTY — With a Public Safety Tax proposed for a special election in March 2017, efforts to educate the public and gather feedback are well underway. Last night at a Town Hall meeting in Ahwahnee, Georgiena Vivian of VRPA Technologies, made a presentation about the proposed tax, why it is needed, and how the funds would be collected, administered ...

CENTRAL SIERRA — As the first storm of the season moves toward Northern and Central California packing rain and gusty winds, PG&E is urging all their customers to be prepared, have a plan and prepare for potential power outages, and above all, be safe. With the severe tree mortality in the Central Sierra, residents in foothill communities face serious dangers ...

NORTH FORK — Scouts of North Fork’s Troop 357 have continued to remain busy since their August backpack trip to Cora Lake. Mid-September found the troop on its annual trip to Yosemite National Park, where they spent the weekend. After setting up camp in the Wawona campground Saturday morning, the troop, along with their bicycles were transported to Yosemite Valley ...

NORTH FORK – The 3-way stop near the Mono Museum in North Fork will soon be completely redesigned and turned into a roundabout. On Tuesday, Oct. 4, the Madera County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to approve the construction of a roundabout at the intersection of Roads 274 and 225. The current 4-leg, 3-way stop allows for the eastbound, or ...

MADERA COUNTY — The Madera County Fire Department benefited from several actions taken during Tuesday’s meeting of the Board of Supervisors. First was a vote to accept a donation from the Paid Call Firefighters (PCFs) at Station 12 in Oakhurst of a 2017 F-450 Chassis XL 4×4 SD Super Cab truck purchased for $44,338. The vehicle will replace their current ...