MADERA COUNTY — Good news, travelers, as the long-awaited passing lanes project on SR-41 near the 22 Mile House is now complete. “The new lanes were opened to traffic yesterday,” says Caltrans’ Corey Burkarth, “and we anticipate accepting the project tomorrow once the contractor completes the task of removing signs from the project site that are no longer needed.” Construction ...

MOUNTAIN AREA — With summer nearly over and many of the crowds dwindling, it’s nice to know that local people are out cleaning up our environment on the weekends. In two separate though not random acts of kindness, a pair of groups stayed busy on Friday, Saturday and Sunday picking up trash: the Girl Scouts of Troop 132 and volunteers with Keep Our Mountains Beautiful (KOMB). ...

COARSEGOLD — Volunteers behind the monthly charitable dinner, Helping One Woman (HOW) are preparing to honor local resident Amber Tringali, who is struggling financially and emotionally after her husband was diagnosed with a fatal disorder a year ago. “Amber has been living living in the mountains for the majority of her life,” say organizers. “She has been married for ten years to the love of ...

Written by Linda Giampa — CALIFORNIA — Whether heading out for a long backpacking trip, local day hikes, or an all-terrain run with our dogs, all of us are consistently aware of the need to pack provisions for varying weather, terrain and potential dangers. However, very few of us would stop to think about ticks or the dangers of tick-borne ...

Here is a classic example of how Owner Mitigation + Firefighter Hard Work = Success. Though the official fire season may be winding down in the next few months, finger crossed, preparation to ensure that your home is fire ready and fire safe is an ongoing task that is best accomplished in the wet and cooler weather. This dramatic photo ...

OAKHURST — Yosemite Unified Superintendent Jim Sargent has accepted a position with the Madera County Office of Education to work region-wide, directing District and School Renewal. Present at so many events throughout the school community for years, he has served as Superintendent at YUSD since July of 2012 following his previous service as a Superintendent at Caruthers Unified in Fresno County. ...

BASS LAKE — If you’re going to cry because summer is officially over, you may as well do it at the lake. Miller’s Landing Resort is hosting its last Hot Summer Nights party of the season on Friday, Sept. 23, and it’s going to be a good one. “Head to the lake for hot tri-tip, even hotter music by Rock ...

YOSEMITE – The 6th Annual Gateway Expressions Student Art and Poetry Contest starts now! Yosemite National Park is excited to celebrate the “incredible creativity of youth in its gateway communities and the power of Yosemite to inspire art.” YNP together with the Ansel Adams Gallery invite local youth to participate in the sixth annual event open to all students, grades K-12, who attend school or ...

OAKHURST — Coming home from work around 5 p.m. last week, Anne Grandy’s eyes scanned the road, watching for the usual hazards of deer and drivers, when she spotted one that stood out against the late summer landscape. Anne was on Road 425B heading toward Still Meadow when, there on the right, clipping along toward Deadwood, was a tortoise. How did she know it was ...

OAKHURST — The anniversary of the attacks in the United States on September 11, 2001 was ceremoniously honored at Yosemite High School on Monday, Sept. 12, as Patriot Day was sponsored by Sierra Tel in a new location. It was a fitting change of pace as this year also marks the first time that high school students here will study events surrounding ...