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 ...

SIERRA NATIONAL FOREST – Smoke from the Rough Fire continues to impact the Central Sierra, and has now grown to 51,794 acres with 17 percent containment. There are currently 1,984 personnel assigned to the incident, including 24 crews, 138 engines and 10 helicopters. With slight changes in weather patterns, expect to see heavy concentrations of smoke in the western foothills ...

MARIPOSA COUNTY – A Mariposa man has been arrested in connection with the death of a bicyclist after he allegedly struck the rider and then fled the scene. Wayne Harrison Ruport, 72, was northbound on Highway 49 just south of French Camp Road on Sunday, Aug. 23, at 12:25 p.m., in a 2000 Ford F-150. Shannon Shipman, 46, also of ...

COARSEGOLD – The public is invited to a town hall meeting with Congressman Tom McClintock on Tuesday, Aug. 25 at 6 p.m. The event takes place in the Yosemite Lakes Park Clubhouse, located at 30250 Yosemite Springs Parkway. The Congressman welcomes conversation related to issues including the drought, healthcare, legislation, and whatever other locally relevant topics people want to talk ...

SIERRA NATIONAL FOREST – The Rough Fire, which continues to impact the Central Sierra with dense smoke, has now grown to 49,440 acres, with 17 percent containment. The fire was reported on July 31, and was lightning-caused. There are currently 2,126 personnel assigned to the incident, including 24 crews, 148 engines and 10 helicopters. The fire has been divided into ...

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 ...

MARIPOSA COUNTY – A single vehicle rollover on Harris Road last night has claimed the life of a Mariposa man. Just before 11 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 20, John Pool, 68, was westbound on Harris Road in a 1986 Volkswagen microbus just west of Highway 49. As he was negotiating a sharp turn, the vehicle left the roadway and went ...

O’NEALS – A sleepy driver behind the wheel was the apparent cause of an accident on Road 200 near Butterfield Stage Road this morning. Just after 7:30 this morning, Dante Fabris, 20, of North Fork, was eastbound on Road 200 just past the Ponderosa Telephone offices at a stated speed of 60 mph when he reportedly fell asleep at the ...

SIERRA NATIONAL FOREST – The Rough Fire, burning 50 miles southeast of Eastern Madera County and north of Hume Lake, continues to challenge fire crews, growing to 32,414 acres with just 3 percent containment. The size and complexity of the suppression efforts have prompted fire officials to call in an additional Incident Management Team, dividing the fire into two sections, ...

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 ...