MADERA COUNTY – District Attorney David A. Linn has announced the formation of a Political Corruption Unit (PCU) within the District Attorney’s Office. The purpose of the unit will be to investigate and prosecute corruption within all of Madera County’s governmental agencies, says Linn. The unit will be headed by Captain Paul Hornick, formerly of the Judge Advocate General Corps ...

MADERA COUNTY – With newly-hired employees furloughed, and the resignations in recent days of all three members of the Picayune Tribal Gaming Commission, the prospects for reopening the Chukchansi Gold Resort and Casino any time soon are looking bleak. The Tribe is now facing not only a lack of confidence from the National Indian Gaming Commission (NGIC), but also what ...

MADERA – Two mountain area juveniles have been arrested by Cal Fire Battalion Chief Bernie Quinn, and are now booked in Madera County Juvenile Detention Facility. The pair are suspected of starting the Sundance Fire near Oakhurst that closed Road 420 and prompted the evacuation of dozens of residents on the afternoon of Sept.13. The District Attorney’s Office will file a ...

MADERA COUNTY – The Madera County Search and Rescue Team (SAR) was activated last night, Sept 20, to search for an overdue hunter. A 37-year-old male, who was said to be in the Iron Lakes area of Eastern Madera County, is the subject of the search. Currently Madera County SAR foot searchers, K-9s, Off-Highway Vehicle teams, and a CHP helicopter ...

COARSEGOLD – As the Chukchansi Gold Resort and Casino tries to reopen their doors, problems continue between the Tribal Council and the Tribal Gaming Commission, as the last commissioner resigns. Last week, two of the three commissioners tendered their letters of resignation. Chairman Norman DesRosiers resigned on Sept. 14, followed three days later by Harlan Goodson. On Sept. 18, Lael ...

MADERA COUNTY – The Madera County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on Tuesday, Sept. 15, to approve a draft Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the County and the Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians. Agreement on, and adoption of an MOU is one of the steps required to get the Chukchansi Gold Resort and Casino reopened. On Aug. 26, Chief Operating ...

YOSEMITE – The body of missing hiker Timothy Nolan was spotted by park visitors on the afternoon of Sept.16, in the backcountry of Yosemite National Park. Unfortunately, he was found deceased. Yosemite National Park Rangers had been searching extensively for him since he was reported overdue from his hike. The large scale search effort included utilizing ground teams, dog teams, ...

MADERA COUNTY – Smoke from the Rough Fire is affecting air quality throughout the San Joaquin Valley and the foothills, prompting air officials to issue a health cautionary statement. Strong high pressure is causing stagnant dispersion conditions resulting in widespread smoke impacts across Fresno, Madera, Merced, Kings, Tulare, Stanislaus, San Joaquin and the valley portion of Kern counties. Air officials ...

MADERA COUNTY  – The Madera County Sheriff’s Office is hosting another Medication Take-Back event scheduled on Saturday, Sept. 26. This service to the public is scheduled twice annually, once in the spring and once in the fall. Sheriff Varney wants to remind the public of the importance of proper disposal of medications that are no longer needed. “Many prescription and ...

BASS LAKE – Cal Fire Battalion Chief Troy Cheek wasn’t sugar-coating the situation when he told the crowd in Bass Lake last week that the Madera County Fire Department is at a serious crossroads. At a Town Hall meeting on Thursday, Aug. 27, Cheek addressed the nation-wide problem of lack of volunteers to staff local fire departments, and laid out ...