OAKHURST — The beginning of a new school year can be exciting, filled with new clothes, new haircuts and school supplies. At this same time, there are families in our community that dread the new school year, wondering how they will afford all the costs. The Women’s Ministry at Sierra Pines Church wants to help meet this need in the ...

MARIPOSA – Smoke from the Ferguson Fire in Mariposa County and other fires surrounding the Valley is affecting air quality in locations throughout the entire San Joaquin Valley, prompting local air pollution officials to issue a health cautionary statement Valley-wide. Smoke from wildfires produces particulate matter which can trigger asthma attacks, aggravate chronic heart and lung diseases, and increase the ...

AHWAHNEE — The nonprofit group Helping One Woman (HOW) will meet for a special fundraising dinner in honor of Jessica Reynolds on Wednesday, Aug. 15 at The Hitchin’ Post in Ahwahnee, starting at 6 p.m. HOW meets monthly to celebrate one deserving woman who receives the community’s support when she needs it the most. Those participating in the HOW benefit ...

COARSEGOLD — Chukchansi’s 2018 Sounds of Summer concert series brings Supertramp’s Roger Hodgson to the outdoor pavilion stage on Friday, July 27. “Roger Hodgson has been recognized as one of the most gifted composers, songwriters and lyricists of our time,” reads the promo. “As the legendary voice and composer of many of the band’s greatest hits, he gave us Give a ...

MADERA COUNTY – With help from a few very alert citizens in Yosemite Lakes Park (YLP), Helen Schreider — 93-year-old artist, author and explorer — has recovered the items that went missing when a Penske rental truck was stolen from a Fresno hotel. The truck had already been recovered, but now, all the items that were stolen before the truck ...

Written by DJ Becker – OAKHURST – A third little brown bat in Madera County has tested positive for rabies, according to authorities. This one was found in a backyard on Evergreen Drive off Road 426 in Oakhurst. Madera County Animal Services Director Kirsten Gross said the bat was found still alive but died shortly after the resident’s three dogs ...

SAN FRANCISCO — With soaring temperatures in the next few days, California’s grid operator has called a statewide Flex Alert this week. PG&E is urging customers to conserve energy as triple-digit heat will impact much of the company’s service area. The California Independent System Operator (ISO) issued a Flex Alert, a call for voluntary electricity conservation, from 5 p.m. to ...

Written by Naomi Flam – MARIPOSA – Even firefighters need help with their pets! Tom from Yucaipa, Calif., is helping at the Ferguson Fire. His dog Boss is being taken care of during the day at Mariposa SPCA while he’s working at the fire. At night, Tom will have his pup with him. Thank you Tom for your hard work ...

COARSEGOLD — A 93-year-old artist, author and explorer will hopefully soon recover a portion of her precious belongings thanks to some sharp-eyed residents of Yosemite Lakes Park. On Saturday, ABC30 reported the story of Helen Schreider, “famed explorer,” who was in the process of relocating from Santa Fe, New Mexico, to the Bay Area in Northern California. She hired a ...

When I look out my window and see poor air quality, the smoky haze is made more disheartening by bits of gray ash floating in the air before coming to rest on the ground. The oppressive heat adds insult to already injured lungs and makes moving through my day challenging. The stress of fire, drought and ashy-air is showing in ...