YOSEMITE — Yosemite National Park will celebrate the Centennial, 100 years of the National Park Service, on Aug. 25. In honor of this historic milestone, park entrance fees will be waived Thursday, Aug. 25, through Sunday, Aug. 28. Camping fees and all other fees will still be applicable. The park will host many special Centennial programs throughout the park during ...

By Virginia Eaton — Playing golf in the summer has some special perks. When you hit the ball on a fairway hardened from the heat it rolls a long, long way. Sometimes it evens rolls in the right direction, which makes me want to do the happy dance. Long roll aside, temperatures in the mid-90s also make the muscles and ...

When a firefighter gets an assignment, he or she often leaves behind a family who keeps the home fires burning in a good way. Such is the case with Erin and Michael Capuchino of Oakhurst. Both in their thirties, Erin and Michael have been married since 2002; for the last three years, Michael has been a wildland firefighter. The Capuchinos have three ...

We headed off trail to check out some unnamed lakes above the Mono Pass Trail. Those views! Those wildflowers! Of course I was curious how the fishing was and I was not disappointed! Where: Yosemite National Park Distance: 10.65 Miles Difficulty: Moderate to Strenuous Elevation Range: 9,596′ – 11,328′ Date: July 28, 2016 Maps: Tioga Pass, Mount Dana, Koip Peak ...

Written by Virginia Eaton — I work with a lot of people who want to lose weight – sometimes just a few pounds, sometimes a whole lot more. Regardless of the amount of weight you want to lose, the most difficult part is accepting the body that you have rather than feeling ashamed or offended by it. Most of my ...

NORTH FORK — Imagine driving home from a day of shopping and getting a text that says your house is on fire. That’s what happened to Leia Wentworth, 26, of North Fork, who was living with her father and daughter in the first house that went up in flames during the Fork Fire. The fire started just before 6 p.m. ...

I caught up with my friend and fellow mom Tammi Kudra just after she’d returned to Oakhurst from taking her oldest daughter Dakota to Southern California for her sophomore year at college. We asked Tammi five questions about what it’s like to see your kids become independent and she had a lot to say. SNO: This time of year people ...

NORTH FORK — The North Fork History Group has a booklet in our archives entitled “History Notes on Grace Community Church.” It was written by Clara Radman, Dorothy Knoch and Rowena Kratzer. It covers a number of subjects but our History Mystery has to do with how the congregation obtained the church building. Prior to the present church building, services ...

Written by Virginia Eaton — How are your shoulders feeling? Can you still reach overhead to get something out of the cupboard? Do you have difficulty putting on a sweater or a jacket? As I work with older adults, I hear shoulder complaints more often than any other, so I was thrilled when I started reading some interesting research about ...

Reflections of snow streaked mountains in seasonal tarns called us to the 20 Lakes Basin in the Hoover Wilderness. What a wonderful surprise to see so many wildflowers in bloom, especially those graceful columbine. Where: Hoover Wilderness Distance: 9.35 Miles Difficulty: Moderate Elevation Range: 10,057′ – 10,407′ Date: July 12, 2016 Maps: Falls Ridge and June Lake Topogs I just ...