OAKHURST — Local Soroptimists once again offer community women the chance to apply for the Live Your Dream Award scholarship, with applications open now through Thursday, Mar 3. The scholarship awards are given to women who are striving to learn new skills and obtain an education, with the goal of improving employment status and standard of living, both personally and ...

SIERRA NATIONAL FOREST — The Sierra National Forest, Bass Lake Ranger District is seeking enthusiastic volunteer candidates to fill the position as campground host volunteer for Nelder Grove Campground. The volunteer would start the week before Memorial Day and work through end of September. The volunteer is expected to work on weekends and holidays and will be required to reside ...

MOUNTAIN AREA — A Winter Storm Watch is in effect for the Sierra Nevada from Yosemite to Kings Canyon, according to the National Weather Service in Hanford, beginning Wednesday morning, Feb. 17 at 10 a.m. and lasting through Thursday afternoon at 4 p.m. on Feb. 18. Snow levels are expected to start out near 7,000 feet on Wednesday and lower ...

OAKHURST — A group of parents and community members attended a Board meeting in Madera on Thursday, Feb. 11 and got their wish: the Oakhurst Head Start center, which had been on the verge of closing its doors permanently, will continue operation for the foreseeable future. At a regularly scheduled meeting, the Community Action Partnership of Madera County (CAP-MC) Board ...

MADERA COUNTY — Thanks to the generosity of the Smokey Bear Run/Walk, The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) Madera-Mariposa-Merced Unit (MMU) is pleased to announce the distribution of carbon monoxide alarms to families of Eastern Madera County. Cal Fire and the Smokey Bear Run/Walk will be hosting distribution dates at the following locations: Cal Fire Station ...

OAKHURST — Parents and community members are rallying around a local Head Start program in hope of stalling a newly proposed budget that would result in shutting doors on the child care center, permanently, as of June 1, 2016. The program’s overseer, Community Action Partnership of Madera County (CAP-MC) has a regularly scheduled board meeting set for 6 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. ...

CLOVIS — Beginning Monday, Feb. 22, the North Fork, Prather and Clovis Forest Services offices will have available free use personal firewood permits to allow the public to collect firewood in designated areas. “The Sierra National Forest, in cooperation with state and local organizations, is working hard to address the changing forest conditions,” said the SNF in a statement released ...

Guest Column written by Bill Ritchey — COARSEGOLD – As Madera County struggles to recruit and retain Paid Call Firefighters (PCF), and the Board of Supervisors considers the feasibility of a public safety tax to help fund the fire department, we noticed that Coarsegold’s Station 13 had not been called out for some time. A call to Cal Fire confirmed ...

COARSEGOLD — Tom Wheeler will host his next Town Hall meeting on Thursday, Feb. 11, at Yosemite Lakes Park Clubhouse from 6 to 8 p.m. On the agenda for the meeting is a talk by the new District Ranger on the Bass Lake Ranger District, Denise Tolmie. There will also be a presentation by the president of Reedley College and ...

MADERA COUNTY – Following are details from the Madera County Sheriff’s Office of reports taken locally from Sunday, Jan. 30 through Saturday, Feb. 6: Coarsegold public intoxication On Sunday, Jan. 31 at 5:08 p.m. an adult male was contacted at a business located in the 46000 block of Lucky Lane. The male was subsequently arrested for public intoxication. He was ...