MARIPOSA — Mariposa County officials received word late Wednesday from the California Department of Public Health that the county’s “Roadmap to Reopen” has been approved and the county can now immediately move to Phase 2.5. ​​​​​​​What does Phase 2.5 mean for Mariposa County residents? To stay in Phase 2.5, the county must avoid the spread of COVID-19, so Mariposa County ...

MADERA – On Tuesday, law enforcement agencies from around Madera County gathered to remember fallen officers in Madera County as well as to honor the memories of all of the law enforcement members who died in the line of duty in 2019 in California.Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s ceremony — the 13th annual — was a bit different, ...

MADERA — In a rare 3-2 split vote on Tuesday, the Madera County Board of Supervisors approved the first reading of a new ordinance regulating the growth of industrial hemp in the county. The updated regulations set the table for large-scale expansion of industrial hemp in the county, with some ag experts predicting the new “green” rush could lead to ...

OAKHURST — Northbound lanes of Highway 41 between the Fresno River and Road 426 have been reopened to traffic, according to the latest update from the Madera County Public Works Department.“Traffic signals at SR 41/SR 49 and SR 41/Rd 426 intersections will remain on all-way flashing red as required by Caltrans to allow traffic to re-acclimate to the normal traffic ...

MADERA — The Madera County Assessor’s Office announced this week that the deadline for county businesses to file their business property statement has been extended until May 31. Those statements were originally due this week but on Wednesday (May 6) Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order extending the deadline for California business owners due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Those ...

MADERA — At their regular board meeting this week, Madera County supervisors authorized Madera County Sheriff Jay Varney to send a letter to Governor Gavin Newsom requesting more leeway be given to individual counties like Madera in terms of how quickly businesses are allowed to reopen. The sheriff, in his letter, reportedly argues that more rural counties, including Madera, should ...

MADERA — Madera County Department of Public Health Officer Dr. Simon Paul has extended until May 31 the County’s Health Order to “monitor, test and treat” febrile respiratory illness — coronavirus — for health care providers, county employers and county residents. Dr. Paul issued the initial Order on March 19 and extended that Order on Thursday. The directive includes guidelines ...

MADERA — Madera County Department of Public Health (MCDPH) has received its first order of testing cartridges for its GeneXpert molecular testing system, which will allow for more rapid COVID-19 testing beginning today. Rapid tests will now provide results “within one hour,” according to MCDPH officials.MCDPH Director Sara Bosse has been advocating aggressively for Cepheid, the producer of the cartridges since ...

MADERA — In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Madera County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a new policy that will allow some County employees to telework — as long as “the quality and quantity of their work is not diminished.”“The purpose of the ‘Emergency Telework Policy’ is to ensure that essential Madera County functions continue to be performed ...

MADERA — The Madera County District Attorney’s Office is on the lookout for profiteers and scam artists trying to capitalize on the COVID-19 crisis to make a quick buck. This week, the D.A.’s Office issued a stern warning: “Price gouging during a state of emergency is a crime.” District Attorney Sally Moreno defined price gouging as “increasing the price of ...