SACRAMENTO — California State Parks has launched an art contest aimed at seeking submissions from California artists for the department’s special interest license plate. The donated artwork for the special state parks license plate should be a full-plate design incorporating a California redwood tree and should not obscure the readability of the license plate. The artwork must be an original ...

OAKHURST – Coming up is the last weekend to see the Golden Chain Theatre’s performance, “Song of the Mounties,” a student production of a melodrama, complete with dancing. GTC offers a true melodrama experience, where the audience can “boo and hiss” the evil villain and “cheer and sigh” for the poor heroine.

FRESNO – If visions of sugarplums dance in your child’s head, be sure to get them to the upcoming open auditions for “The Nutcracker.” Auditions for student roles in Fresno Ballet Theatre’s 2014 production of “The Nutcracker,” sponsored by Valley Performing Arts Council, will be held June 7 from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the dance studio of the ...

MARIPOSA COUNTY – Who hasn’t daydreamed of writing music – at the most humble level, of writing a pop song (perhaps) for a singer and a small band? Or for the more ambitious, a brief piece for stringed instruments or small chamber group? Or for the truly huge dreamers: of writing a work of true, full-blown orchestral art and having ...

NORTH FORK – Never let it be said that the folks in North Fork aren’t a creative lot. They will soon have a unique display of playful creativity, a chess match using human beings as pieces. The match will be held from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 24, at the Mill Site. The game is being organized ...

AHWAHNEE – The next Coolwater Ranch concert is Saturday, May 31, at 8 p.m. and features world renowned guitarist Peppino D’Agostino. D’Agostino doesn’t just play the guitar. He composes, arranges, collaborates, improvises and has even been known to sing a song here and there in both English and Italian. But what he does create on the guitar makes the difference ...

NORTH FORK – The 7th grade class at the North Fork School has something special planned this year to raise money for their trip to Catalina. On Friday and Saturday, May 2 and 3, they will present “Silvalinda,” an original, rollicking, song and dance fairy tale melodrama written by Terry Butler, and featuring a cast of characters ranging in age ...

MARIPOSA – The magic of minerals and more will be on display at the Gem & Mineral Show this Saturday and Sunday, Apr. 19-20 at the Mariposa County Fairgrounds on Highway 49. From benitoite to topaz and nearly all the gems and minerals an expert can name – gold included – are featured in the annual show which includes jewelry, ...

Submitted by Dan Rosenberg NORTH FORK – April will be busting out all over this year in North Fork, when all ages gather at The North Fork Studio for the Spring County Dance and Hoedown on Friday from 6 to 10 p.m. Dancing will take place from 7 to 9:30. A raffle will be held during the mid-evening break. We’ll ...

Submitted by Debra Swiger RAYMOND – Eileen Dunn, long time resident and active member of the community, has been named Grand Marshall for the 28th Annual Raymond Parade. In 1960, Joe and Eileen packed up their five kids, left Los Angeles and headed out to Oregon to find a quiet, safe place to raise their kids. When they stopped in ...