COARSEGOLD — Local composer Barbara Ulman’s composition “One Loon’s Afternoon” for chorus, flute and clarinet just won the Akademia 2020 Artist Vision Award — a prestigious honor in the composing world. Akademia Film Awards support musicians by streaming their music online all over the world. (Here’s a link to the video on YouTube.) According to its website, Akademia supports “excellence ...

By UC Master Gardeners of Mariposa County With “stay at home” orders in place, more people are starting a home garden. For the novice gardener, knowing where to begin can be a challenge. A few tips and steps will get you gardening in no time! If this is your first vegetable garden, start small. You will want to get the ...

By Dr. Paul Parnell, Chancellor, State Center Community College DistrictFRESNO — We at State Center Community College District (SCCCD) would like to thank our first responders, health care and other essential employees who are reporting to work during the pandemic. You are all heroes. SCCCD (Fresno City College, Reedley College, Clovis Community College, Madera Community College Center and Oakhurst Community ...

OAKHURST — South Gate Brewing is back with “curbside heaven” — and REV’s Farmhouse is about to return too, with breakfast and lunch to go. This week marks the reopening of two of Oakhurst’s favorite establishments: That’s right, those righteous drafts from Brewmaster Rick can be yours again. And when you need a break from being a short-order cook at ...

Dear Neighbors, During the past month our community and hospital have made significant changes in how we work. For us, this is the first time in our careers when we are caring for patients without the patient’s friends and family physically visiting to provide emotional and spiritual support. We understand families are missing out on celebrating the first hours of ...

YOSEMITE — We have good news and bad news. The bad news is that fire season has not been cancelled due to the coronavirus. The good news is that the virus will likely result in there being far fewer outdoor activities and gatherings this summer, which should lead to fewer forest fires. That’s what we’re hoping, anyway. So what can ...

MOUNTAIN AREA — Are you interested in volunteer opportunities with the Sequoia National Forest, but not sure where to start? Forest volunteers are environmental partners who play a vital role in keeping public lands healthy. Volunteers make an invaluable contribution to the beautification and visual enhancement while enjoying all their public lands have to offer. One popular activity enjoyed on ...

MOUNTAIN AREA — If your loved one is in a hospital, nursing home or assisted living facility and management is limiting visitors to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, this is what you need to do: Does your loved one have an Advance Health Care Directive? If so find it, see who they named as their agent (the person who ...

MOUNTAIN COMMUNITIES — Whether you are selling a property you have inherited, or just getting ready to move on from the place you raised your family, selling a property brings many emotions. But that doesn’t mean you should just get it over with, you want to do this right, and that means finding a real estate agent with local experience ...

MOUNTAIN AREA — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is encouraging everyone to protect themselves and others from coronavirus. Because COVID-19 has never been seen in humans before, there are currently no vaccines to prevent or drugs to treat COVID-19 approved by the FDA so the best way to prevent illness, according to the agency, is “to avoid being exposed  ...