OAKHURST — The last day for local thrift shop and animal rescue champion Cause 4 Paws is Saturday, Dec. 23. After nine wonderful years in Oakhurst, the shop is closing for good and the owner, Vickie Deane, is retiring. All inventory goes on blow-out sale: Dec 1 – Dec 20 All items 50% off Thursday, Dec. 21 All items 75% off ...

OAKHURST — State Center Community College District will hold its spring semester Extreme Registration on Friday, Dec. 8 from 2 – 7 p.m. and Wednesday, Jan. 3 from noon – 7 p.m. Extreme Registration is a one-stop shop that offers everything a student will need to enroll at Oakhurst Community College Center, Fresno City College, Reedley College, Clovis Community College, ...

The Animal Compassion Team (ACT) foster and adoption program Dog of the Week for SNO is Gigi. “My foster momma says I am a fun-loving mix of Jack Russell Terrier and Chihuahua, just 6 – 8 months old,” says Gigi. “I have the fur and color of a Jack Russell, but the ears of a Chihuahua! My owner had to ...

OAKHURST — What has become a tradition in the mountain area now has a few new twists, and organizers think the community will be very pleased with the results. Everyone is invited to the 9th annual free Community Christmas Party on Friday, Dec. 22 at the Oakhurst Community Center. Also known as The Outpouring, the Community Christmas Party takes place ...

Contributed by Len McKenzie, YAAS — Australia, the land “Down Under,” is an island, a country (the world’s sixth largest geographically), and a continent (the world’s smallest). Having no land borders, the Australian mainland —“the lowest, flattest and oldest continental landmass on Earth”— and its satellite islands collectively boast more than 37,000 miles of coastline, embracing an impressive diversity of ...

MARIPOSA — Santa Claus is a big fan of history, just as we are. He’s officially inviting the community to stop by the Mariposa Museum and History Center Christmas Open House. The free event is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 16 from 1 – 4 p.m. Santa will be on-hand from 1 – 3:30 p.m., but there’s plenty to do even ...

OAKHURST — Bring the believers to Branches Books & Gifts on Monday, Dec. 11 at 3 p.m. in celebration of their free-to-attend Elf on the Shelf Holiday Party. The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition is a 2005 children’s picture book, written by Carol Aebersold and her daughter Chanda Bell, and illustrated by Coë Steinwart. The Branches Books Elf ...

Submitted by Mountain Area Ski School — MOUNTAIN AREA — Can you ski? Can you snowboard? Cooler temperatures and clouds over the Sierra crest are a reminder that winter is on its way, and with it the Mountain Area Ski School’s 56th year of ski and snowboard programs for our mountain area school students! “The Mountain Area Ski School (MASS) ...

Submitted by Michael Olwyler — NORTH FORK — The first phase of maintenance for the Exact Center of California monument was completed by the Bass Lake Ranger District Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) crew on Nov. 16. The North Fork History Group (NFHG) cooperates with the Sierra National Forest to manage the site and has identified a new design that will ...

Written by Sandy Chaille — NORTH FORK — Each year, Grace Community Church makes Christmas food baskets available for the residents of North Fork. Residents in need of help sign up in the Thrift Shop on Tuesdays and Thursdays from Nov. 28 through Dec. 14. Baskets will be given away on Dec. 22. As costs increase for this program, we ...