MOUNTAIN AREA – From atop the mountain perch overlooking a vast expanse of green, eyes are carefully trained to spot the early tell-tale signs of forest fire. A wisp of smoke triggers a series of actions that can mean the difference between safety and catastrophe. In the relative safety of winter, recruitment begins for a new crop of Forest Service ...

MADERA COUNTY – A Coarsegold man who vandalized a PG&E facility last year has been convicted of felony vandalism in Madera Superior Court. Nicholas Trowbridge, 32, of Coarsegold, was convicted before the Honorable Judge Ernest LiCalsi, and sentenced to two years in county jail. Reports indicated that on July 4, 2015, Mr. Trowbridge went to the PG&E transformer facility in ...

MADERA – District Attorney David Linn announced today the opening of a first offender arson treatment program in Oakhurst. Linn and other officials will provide more information during a news conference on Thursday, Feb. 25, at the mountain area District Attorney’s Office in Oakhurst. On that date, D.A. Linn, Jolinda Thomas, Cal-Fire Battalion Chief Bernie Quinn, and Supervisor Tom Wheeler ...

CENTRAL CALIFORNIA – In celebration of Doctors’ Day on Mar. 30, Adventist Health / Central Valley Network is asking patients to share their excellent experiences with physicians affiliated with Adventist Health. If you’ve had a wonderful visit to your doctor at Adventist Health, submit your positive story by Mar. 31 and be entered into a drawing to win an Apple ...

EARTH — A full moon is rising and should be visible this evening, followed by the dazzling planet Jupiter in the eastern sky after dark. The February full moon is also sometimes called the Wolf Moon, Snow Moon or Hunger Moon. According to EarthSky.org, the star above the moon and Jupiter this evening is Regulus, the brightest in the constellation ...

MADERA COUNTY – Following are details from the Madera County Sheriff’s Office of reports taken locally from Sunday, Feb. 14 to Sunday, Feb. 21, 2016: Oakhurst vandalism On Sunday, Feb. 14 at 1:03 a.m. a deputy was dispatched to a vandalism in the 48000 block of River Park Road. An investigation was completed and it was determined that a suspect ...

MOUNTAIN AREA — If you’re like most people, you spend countless hours and untold dollars taking care of your home. After all, it’s your castle. You want your castle to be beautiful on the outside and on the inside, so you do your best to maintain the property through thick and thin. It’s a big investment of time and cash, ...

By Liz Wiles and Vanessa Sanchez Liz says, “Despite attending Minarets in O’Neals since freshman year, when I reached sophomore year, I chose the elective of Creative Writing on the basis of my love for writing and yearning to merge my passion with my academic life, and entered the first class period hoping to add to my current knowledge of ...

CENTRAL SIERRA — The USGS reports a 4.8 earthquake at 3:04 p.m., about 6 miles WNW of Big Pine, California, followed by a 2.9 aftershock about 5 minutes later in very close proximity. That was followed by a 2.8 at 3:23, and a 4.3 at 3:27 p.m. Big Pine is on the east side of the Sierra on Highway 395, ...

OAKHURST — With the overwhelming response to the Age Well, Drive Smart class offered by the Oakhurst Area CHP Office, they have scheduled another class for Thursday, Mar. 3, from 10 a.m. to noon. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) implemented the Age Well, Drive Smart program to assist older drivers and their families with the tools to remain safe on ...