OAKHURST — Vision Academy of the Arts invites the community to a spring choir celebration of inspiration, with “Be the Change,” featuring a variety of songs designed to make a difference. Choir member and Vision Academy board member Shiela Adams says the program is intended to capture the spirit of change that starts with love. Songs include Ordinary Miracles, I ...

BASS LAKE — Get to know your local law enforcement while enjoying breakfast overlooking the lake at Miller’s Landing. Sheriff Jay Varney and deputies from the Madera County Sheriff’s Office, along with officers from the CHP, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the U.S. Forest Service will be available on Saturday, June 11, from 8 to 11 a.m., ...

AHWAHNEE — The nonprofit organization Helping One Woman (HOW) invites the community to a dinner in support of area resident Peggy Owens, at the Hitching Post on Wednesday, May 18 at 6 p.m. Peggy and husband Larry “lived in the Oakhurst area from 1988 – 1990 and loved ‘doing life’ here and homeschooling their five children, Jen, Daniel, Steven, Andrew ...

MADERA COUNTY — A coalition of Madera-area businesses, non-profits, citizens, and elected officials and the North Fork Rancheria met with Congressman Jim Costa this past Saturday, May 14, to provide an update on the status of and ongoing challenges to the planned hotel and casino resort north of the city of Madera. The coalition, with more than 40 members present, ...

MADERA COUNTY — The first phase of the District Attorney’s Office’s Veteran’s Court Plan will be launched at the Caring Veteran’s of America, Inc. Veteran’s Stand Down on May 21, at the Sierra Pines Church in Oakhurst from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Along with the first phase of the Veteran’s Court, the Stand Down will include free medical examinations ...

OAKHURST — Miles of erratic driving and near misses along Highway 41 between Coarsegold and Fish Camp on Saturday ended with the arrest of a Coarsegold man for driving under the influence of drugs and five other charges. About 3 p.m. on May 14, CHP received reports of a man weaving in and out of lanes, crossing into opposing traffic ...

MOUNTAIN AREA — It’s the weekend. You’d love to be hiking or fishing, hanging out at the lake, or just relaxing with a good book. But with the overwhelming number of jobs that need doing around the house, you’re likely falling way behind on weedeating, hauling things away, sprucing up the property, and splitting up wood from all those dead ...

Written by Virginia Eaton — Warning: I’m feeling the need to rant and rave! If you aren’t in the mood to hear me vent my frustration with the medical community, then you may want to skip this week’s blog and tune in next week when steam isn’t coming out of my ears. Just this week, I’ve had a number of ...

MADERA COUNTY — With H.R. 5079 having been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on Apr. 27, the North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians once again faces a challenge to their plans for a Class III gaming facility on 305 acres of land near Madera. Yesterday, the Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians posted an open letter on Indianz.com to ...

MADERA COUNTY — Yesterday we reported on H.R. 5079, which was introduced on Apr. 27 in the U.S. House of Representatives, seeking to “amend the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act to require that, in California, certain off-reservation gaming proposals shall be subject to the full ratification and referendum process established by California State law, and for other purposes.” The bill is ...