This is Us is a series of local profiles, with first-person stories about something significant in their lives. It’s a way we can get to know the people in our community on a little deeper level. We have so many fascinating people in our community. In the six years that I’ve lived here, I’ve had the pleasure of getting to ...

NORTH FORK—While Christians celebrate Easter this year on April 17, Jews will already have embarked on their celebration of Passover, called Pesach in Hebrew.  This holiday, whose traditions have been passed down from grandfather to father to son for generations, recounts the Exodus of Jews from Egyptian slavery. It has been called the Festival of Liberation and is one of ...

By Debby Carter, Librarian, Sierra Historic Sites Association You’ve probably seen this famous old photo of two daring ladies posing at Glacier Point. In the August 16, 1962, issue of the Sierra Star, the photo was posted requesting any information about these two ladies. Two weeks later, a letter to the editor was posted in the Star with just that ...

NORTH FORK — Recently, Chel Stith accepted a beautiful painting which she won in a drawing at the North Fork Christmas Bazaar on Dec. 12, 2021. The painting of the Ross Cabin located on the Sierra Vista Scenic Byway, Sierra National Forest, was painted by Mary Beth Harrison, and given to the North Fork History Group to raise funds for ...

By Acacia Edeluchel, student journalist for Minarets Press This year, Minarets is excited to have another addition to the Minarets community. Michael Lewis, a deputy sheriff with the Madera County Sheriff’s Office, will be on campus every day this year serving to help keep Minarets a safe and uplifting environment. Officer Lewis explains what he will be up to while on ...

Dear Friends, During the holiday season, there is so much to be grateful for. As difficult as the last couple of years have been, the EMCSPCA is ending 2021 on a high note! We are grateful that we are completing the final construction phase of the EMCSPCA Animal Care and Adoption Center. As you know, this has been a very ...

OAKHURST–Happy 85th Anniversary to Walt Bannon Drilling. In today’s world, business longevity often means 20 years. Eighty years is unheard-of. But 85? Unbelievable. But that’s what Walt Bannon Drilling celebrates this month. Not only that, but it’s a family-owned and operated business that traces its lineage back three generations. Owner Chris Duncanson is the grandson of Walt Bannon and the son ...

By Sal Maccarone During the year 1990 I was just finishing up work for the grand opening of the Marriott Tenaya Lodge in Fish Camp. I had signed up for a big scope of things to do, and that made the project exciting because of the art that I was allowed to create. The owners and design team of the ...

FRESNO STATE — The College of Health and Human Services at Fresno State will celebrate 10 individuals for their contributions to the community during the 11th annual Health and Human Services Hero Awards, which will be held virtually at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 18, via Zoom. The awards recognize those making a difference in the fields of health and ...

By Dan Carrion, E Clampus Vitus Grub Gulch Chapter 41-49 In the Spring of 2021, a car accident destroyed the E Clampus Vitus Chowchilla Railroads Monument built in 2003, which stood in front of the VFW Hall in Chowchilla. Our chapter rebuilt the monument this summer, and we will re-dedicate it on December 11th. What we know about the railroad ...

After more than a year of isolation for many people across the country, now is the perfect time to do good and build unity in your area. According to a national survey from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, more than 1 in 3 Americans (36%) faced “serious loneliness” during the pandemic, including more than 60% of young adults. Use ...