Over 150 people packed the Oakhurst Community Center on Friday, Feb. 28, to hear from the three candidates running for the office of Madera County District Attorney. Incumbent Michael Keitz, Deputy County Counsel Miranda Neal, and Oakhurst attorney David Linn addressed questions during the 90-minute debate hosted by the Oakhurst Democratic Club.

MADERA — Thanks to the efforts of the Rotary Club of Madera and Danny Morris, deputy director of the Madera County Department of Social Services, the lobby area of the 629 E. Yosemite building has been transformed into a warm and colorful area. Morris is a Rotary member and volunteered on the remodel project, completed Feb. 17.

MADERA COUNTY – Madera County Master Gardeners will host a free event for home gardeners on Saturday, Mar. 22, from 10 a.m. to noon. This workshop will provide instruction on how to plant a beautiful edible landscape, presented by Master Gardeners Agnes Jenkins, Linda Sloan, Barbara Mattice and Susan Walter.

They Showed, Placed, Rescued & Recovered in Record Time MADERA COUNTY – K9s of all kinds, showed their skills during Madera County’s annual K9 training day held in Eastern Madera County over the weekend. Participating in the training were 22 Madera County SAR Volunteers along with 42 Search & Rescue dog teams from as far south as San Diego and ...

SONORA – The Stanislaus National Forest is accepting applications for the 2014 Artist in the Woods program, where professional artists stay for two weeks in a historic cabin in the woods during the fall. With the goal of creating a sense of stewardship for the beauty of the natural and cultural resources of the Stanislaus National Forest, the Artist in ...

NORTH FORK – Three passengers in a vehicle headed into North Fork escaped injury this afternoon when the car in which they were riding smacked into a tree. Just before 3 p.m. on Friday, Trini Taylor, 31, was driving a Chevy Impala north on Road 200 when she apparently hydroplaned on the wet road and lost control.

OAKHURST – Cutter James Randrup, 26, of Coarsegold was taken into custody after deputies caught him with a stack of phony Green Dot MoneyPak cards at a motel in Oakhurst. Green Dot MoneyPak cards are reloadable debit cards, available everywhere, and are generally used by people who don’t have, or want, a bank account.

OAKHURST – The Sierra Nevada draws visitors for many reasons – its unparalleled scenery, geological features, flora and fauna, wilderness and cultural attributes, and superb recreational opportunities. Birders are drawn for reasons rooted in each of those values. Among the tools birders use to enjoy and find meaning in the pursuit of their passion are field guides and other publications ...

MADERA COUNTY – Sheriff John Anderson is issuing a stranger danger alert to Madera County citizens after an unidentified man was able to gain entry into a home located in the Wildwood Mobile Home Park on Highway 41 and steal the couple’s prescription medications. On Wednesday evening, Feb. 26, an elderly couple unwittingly invited a young man into their home ...

MADERA COUNTY – Raymond Mendoza Chavez, 54, and his wife Gloria Chavez, also 54, sit behind bars facing a multitude of felony charges including 59 counts of counterfeiting, and possession of narcotics. Late Wednesday afternoon, Feb. 26, Sergeant Mark Stritzel and Deputy Luis Padgett were conducting a probation search at the couple’s home located on Avenue 16 south of Chapin ...