By Brian David, U.C. Master Gardener, Mariposa We know that wildfire smoke affects people’s health. Particles of burned plants and trees land on dust particles and are breathed into the lungs. However, this year’s Creek Fire not only affects you, it affects your plants. This summer’s Sierra foothill smoke has limited gardening in part by imposing health restrictions on gardeners. ...

YOSEMITE – Fires are inundating not only California, but most of the western United States, leaving both unprecedented smoky skies as well as widespread damage in their wake. Fire is an important part of the wilderness ecosystem, however. The National Park Service will let fires, such as this one just below the Tioga Road in Yosemite, burn naturally, allowing them ...

By Sal Maccarone The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences was the idea of Louis B. Mayer (1884-1957), head of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM.) Mr. Mayer felt that the organization would lend respectability and status to the movie industry, the reputation of which had been tarnished during the Roaring Twenties. So on May 4, 1927, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts ...

By Connie Popelish, North Fork History Group Some of the special features of North Fork architecture include the unique buildings made of blocks of pumice and cement, known as pumitile. Pumitile concrete bricks were manufactured by the Jourdan Concrete Pipe Company of Fresno, beginning around 1931. Initially, the company made concrete pipes for sewage systems, but eventually branched out, designing open-interior ...

By Bob Labozetta, UC Master Gardener, Mariposa It’s 90 degrees outside. Yep, time to prepare for your winter veggie garden. WHAT? Winter veggie choices include beets, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, chard, garlic, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce, onions/shallots, parsnips, peas, potatoes, radishes, rhubarb, rutabaga, spinach, turnip, and other leafy greens such as bok choy and kale. The above veggies can be direct ...

By Sal Maccarone Parks are wonderful places! They provide recreation, they are aesthetically pleasing, and they are helpful to our environment in many ways. There are many types of parks, from urban to national, but they all share the same basic goal: setting aside space which will contribute to our physical and psychological well-being. Many urban parks are green spaces, ...

By Sal Maccarone Optical art, fractal art, abstract art, and many other forms of art rely heavily upon the placement of geometric shapes within a given space. Geometry is a language! The math that is used to create shapes — comprised of points, lines and curves — is thought to be universal. Geometric art forms can run anywhere from a ...

Each of these can lead to a lower selling price, longer on the market, and a smaller net return when selling your home. 1. FSBO – You need the exposure that the Multiple Listing Service gives you. California Regional MLS is now available to more than 100,000 member agents throughout California. Besides research shows that the median purchase price for ...

By Karen Morris, CHS President COARSEGOLD — The Coarsegold Historical Society has three pieces of mining machinery on display at the Coarsegold Historic Museum. They were donated quite a few years ago and we need help with the names and how they were used. We think the middle one was possibly some kind of rock crusher. If you can help ...

Submitted by Debby Carter, SHSA Librarian (Fresno Flats) MOUNTAIN AREA — An article on the front page of the October 29, 1970, Sierra Star reads: “Bass Lake Receives 200 Bed Hospital: On Tuesday, Oct. 27, a full 200-bed hospital will be delivered to Bass Lake. According to Supervisor Lonnie Cornwell and Chairman of the Board Herman Neufeld of Madera County, ...