NORTH FORK — Over 18,000 marijuana plants were eradicated during a major bust in the North Fork area last Friday, and two suspects were taken into custody. Sheriff’s deputies and U.S. Forest Service law enforcement descended on a property east of North Fork along Road 225, just after 7:30 a.m. on Aug. 26, to eradicate a large grow. Mary Grillett, ...

MADERA COUNTY — An Oakhurst woman charged with stealing tens-of-thousands of dollars from an elderly man has pleaded no contest to one felony charge of financial elder abuse. Kathryn (Katie) Davis, 54, who serves as Director at the Sierra Senior Center in Oakhurst, was arrested on Aug. 10 for taking what could be as much as $50,000 from 90-year-old Bill ...

SACRAMENTO – Cal Fire announced Wednesday it will be awarding nearly $16 million for fire prevention grants to local fire departments and fire safe councils to reduce the threat of large wildfires. The 2016-2017 State Responsibility Area Fire Prevention Fund and tree mortality grants are aimed at reducing the threat wildfires as well as dead and dying trees in and ...

CALIFORNIA — Over 12,300 firefighters are battling 10 large wildfires in California. Despite mild temperatures yesterday, dry and gusty conditions allowed for two new fires to spread quickly and force evacuations in Butte and Kern counties. This weekend the weather is expected to remain relatively mild as it has over the past week. Dry conditions will continue in many areas ...

NORTH FORK — For several mornings, people have been reporting a smoke up near Cascadel Woods, near Forest Road 8S09. Just to put residents at ease, we want to let you know that it’s actually dust being created by masticators chewing up branches as the Forest Service contractors work to keep the area around that mountain community free of ladder ...

TUOLUMNE COUNTY — A woman involved in an accident that left her and two injured companions alone overnight down an embankment off Highway 120 on Monday evening has passed away, according to the Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office. “We are sad to report that Maria Fissman — the woman extricated from the vehicle — did pass away from her injuries last ...

COARSEGOLD – Fire Investigators with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) Madera-Mariposa-Merced Unit determined equipment use as the cause of the Broken Fire. The Broken Fire started on July 4, and was caused by a bulldozer striking a rock in dry grass. This fire ultimately burned 102 acres of vegetation north of Coarsegold, near the Broken ...

MADERA COUNTY — As the County struggles with ways to replace the aging fleet of fire engines and water tenders and address the crisis in Paid Call Firefighters (PCFs) needed to drive them, the Board of Supervisors today considered the expenditure of over $500,000 to purchase two water tender/fire engine hybrid units to be put in service at Stations 12 ...

TUOLUMNE COUNTY — A group outing to Yosemite yesterday ended with a Search and Rescue mission for the Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office and CHP, and a harrowing night for three women who crashed their SUV down a steep embankment. On Monday morning, a group of 10 German tourists left San Francisco for a day of sightseeing in Yosemite National Park. ...

CALIFORNIA — Over 10,000 firefighters are battling 6 large wildfires in California. This morning firefighters were able to contain the destructive Blue Cut Fire in San Bernardino County which has been burning since Aug. 12. The Blue Cut Fire burned an estimated 321 structures, including 105 homes, making it the 20th most destructive wildfire in California’s history. Last week firefighters ...