MADERA COUNTY – Sheriff John Anderson is proud to announce two deputy sheriffs and a dispatcher have joined the Madera County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies Drew Kirchert and Christopher Williams both come to Madera County with impressive backgrounds in law enforcement. Prior to signing on with Madera County, both deputies worked for Kings County. Deputy Kirchert comes to Madera County after ...

MADERA COUNTY – The Madera County Public Health Department is reporting that laboratory results received today have confirmed that a Madera County woman has died from complications of Influenza A 2009 H1N1 infection. The 63 year-old female died at Madera Community Hospital on Jan. 18. She had other underlying medical conditions which increased her risk for severe H1N1 illness. Medical ...

MADERA COUNTY – The 32nd Annual Madera County Academic Decathlon (ACADEC) competition begins on Friday, Jan. 24. High school students will compete in the interview and essay competitions at Madera County Office of Education. Pictured are 2014 participants from Yosemite High School (YHS).

MARIPOSA – A tragic accident on Highway 49 near Bootjack has claimed the life of a Mariposa man and injured two children. On Friday, Jan. 17, at approximately 5:12 p.m., Thomas Pimentel, 63, of Mariposa was westbound on Indian Peak Road in a 2007 Toyota Corolla, approaching the stop sign at Highway 49. At the same time, Timothy McFadden, 51, ...

MARIPOISA COUNTY – The strange sight of a wildland fire putting up smoke in January greeted residents this morning during their morning commute. What has been named the Windsong Fire was reported this morning at 2:45 a.m. Cal Fire engines were the first on scene, though the fire is burning on Sierra National Forest land in Mariposa County.

Optimizing Pasture, Supplemental Feed, and Managing Risk MARIPOSA – With the first part of the season being so dry, many ranchers are dealing with the shortage of forage on their rangelands by buying hay, culling livestock, and supplementary feeding, among other things. To address the issue of drought, UC Sierra Foothills Research and Extension Center is hosting a workshop addressing ...

MOUNTAIN AREA – Online registration is now open for Yosemite Girls Softball League (YGSL), and all girls ages 5 – 15 are invited to participate. No experience is required. The last day to register is Sunday, Feb. 2, 2014. The organization is also currently seeking volunteer coaches, and has a player clinic coming up soon. Interested players are encouraged to ...

FRESNO – Oakhurst resident and Fresno Police Sergeant Greg Noll was recently recognized by the Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Committee of Fresno for his work in the community while working for the Fresno Police Department. The Unity Community has been a vital force at the grassroots level in organizing the Dr. King birthday celebrations every year in Fresno. Noll, ...

SACRAMENTO – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) released a draft economic analysis of its proposal to designate 1,831,820 acres of critical habitat in California for the Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog, the northern distinct population segment of the mountain yellow-legged frog, and the Yosemite toad. The draft economic analysis estimates the costs associated with the designation of critical habitat ...

MADERA COUNTY – Mike Salvador, Undersheriff of Madera County, is looking to step into the shoes of his mentor, Sheriff John Anderson, who retires this year after four terms in office. Salvador has been a resident of Madera since making it his home in 1991, raising his family, building his career and donating time and service to a host of ...