NORTH FORK – Two mountain area men led sheriff’s deputies and CHP on a nearly hour-long chase through the backroads near North Fork last night, and finally ended up behind bars. Just before 11 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 8, Sergeant Mike Pace was patrolling the area of Road 200 when he saw a 1993 green colored Jeep Wrangler that had ...

OAKHURST – How important is it for mountain area residents to have emergency room services readily available? Is Oakhurst in danger of losing the only one in town, namely Urgent Care? That was one of the issues discussed at District 5 Supervisor Tom Wheeler’s Town Hall meeting in November, where Dr. Joel Figatner addressed the crowd about the shortage of ...

MADERA – Those following Yosemite High School’s Mock Trial team will want to know that the conclusion of former high school student Rae Concha’s mock murder trial has been rescheduled to Tuesday, Dec. 10, at the Madera Courthouse. In this year’s Honorable Edward P. Moffat Madera County Mock Trial, the fictional case of People vs. Concha, has the defendant being ...

MADERA COUNTY – To save a life would you hike into forbidden wilderness, ascend a mountain peak, crawl into an abandoned mineshaft, trudge through hot sand or plunge into racing white water rapids? Volunteers with the Madera County Sheriff’s Department Search and Rescue team do all that and more in their struggle to provide life-saving services to those in need.

MOUNTAIN AREA – Someone you love is suffering chest pains and is in need of immediate medical attention. You call 911 and anxiously await the arrival of paramedics. Every single minute counts, and could be the difference between life and death. But how much precious time could be lost if emergency responders can’t find your house? It may seem a ...

MADERA COUNTY – The arrest of two Madera men who reportedly opened fire on a Sheriff’s deputy has led to the discovery of what was described as “an arsenal of stolen weapons,” some of which are linked to a residential burglary in Coarsegold.

Editor’s note: the Toys for Tots big toy roundup previously scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 7, has been postponed one week to Dec. 14, due to weather. Read on for more information. OAKHURST – It may be cold outside, but the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation has thousands of ways to warm the hearts of local children of all ages.

MADERA COUNTY – As winter weather approaches, the County of Madera has established the following locations as Warming Centers in the mountain area during times of extreme winter cold. The centers will be open the days and times of the week listed below, while other centers may be opened on an “as need” basis and will be announced through the ...

OAKHURST – Oakhurst resident Dave Wolin was appointed to the MD22A Sewer District Oversight Committee by the Madera County Board of Supervisors at their regular meeting on Nov. 26. Wolin currently serves on the Oakhurst Community Advisory Council and Madera County Film Commission and chairs the Eastern Madera County Economic Development and Eastern Madera County Emergency Preparedness Committee.

MOUNTAIN AREA – Bird lovers, photographers and any interested parties are invited to join the National Audubon Society’s 114th Christmas Bird Count (CBC). The CBC is an annual international bird census that began on Christmas Day in 1900. It now numbers more than 2,500 individual counts, and will be held throughout the area between Dec. 14, 2013, and Jan. 3, ...