OAKHURST – An informal public meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 3 at the Yosemite High School cafeteria, to discuss the proposed water rate increase by Hillview Water Company (HWC). The meeting will be moderated by Moises Chavez , a California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) analyst who will be gathering public input and explaining the CPUC’s ...

CLOVIS – If you would like to have a say in how federal dollars are spent on lands in Madera and Fresno Counties, you may be interested in becoming a member of the committee that has input in those decisions. The Fresno County and Madera County Resource Advisory Committees (RAC) are seeking applications from interested citizens who would like to ...

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COARSEGOLD – Nearly a year after its closure following an armed incident that led to 15 arrests and a closure order from a federal court, Chukchansi Gold Resort and Casino is expected to reopen in the next few weeks, according to new Chief Operating Officer Christian Goode. While no specific date has been announced for reopening, Goode says some employees ...

MADERA – The juvenile who was charged with two felonies for starting the Willow Fire appeared in court today while in custody of the Madera County Juvenile Detention Facility. The minor, through his attorney, waived time for the jurisdictional hearing originally scheduled for Friday, Aug. 28, for the purposes of obtaining a psychological evaluation for the Court. The minor will ...

CENTRAL SIERRA – Four years of drought have put tremendous stress on trees in California’s forests, resulting in widespread mortality. While bark beetles are the primary cause of mortality for most pine and fir trees, other trees such as incense cedar and live oak are simply dying from lack of water. Extensive tree mortality is occurring in many areas across ...

MADERA COUNTY – The next time you are summoned to appear for jury duty, the experience is likely to be far more pleasant as you report to the brand new Madera County Courthouse that replaces the century-old building in which the court has been operating. On Friday, Aug. 14, several hundred people gathered for a ribbon cutting and tour of ...

MADERA COUNTY – Motorists should plan for delays over the next two weeks as work continues on Highways 41 and 49 out of Oakhurst. Northwest Paving is currently completing pavement chip seal operations, including the placement of reflectors within the center line as part of a pavement rehabilitation project scheduled to be completed by the end of the month. Portable ...

MADERA – The juvenile who allegedly started the Willow Fire that burned over 5,700 acres near North Fork, appeared in Madera Superior Court this morning, and was ordered detained in the Madera County Juvenile Detention Facility while awaiting his next court appearance, scheduled for Aug. 28. The boy is accused of starting the fire on Saturday, July 25, by playing ...

MADERA – The minor who started the John West fires last year near Oakhurst appeared in Madera Superior Court today in response to a petition filed, alleging that he had violated the order issued by Superior Court Judge James Oakley, spelling out the terms of his probation. His violations involved inappropriate activities, such as taking pictures and being in close ...