Written by Matt Powers — It’s Actually Not Hard to Garden in the Foothills I’ve heard it all, and I have a large garden in Coarsegold with no fences, poisons, or chemical fertilizers. It took years of trial and error, research, and education in permaculture to understand the complexity of our region though, on that journey, I found easy ways ...

VENTURA –Bird enthusiasts are invited to join in a coast-wide effort to spot Brown Pelicans during a two-hour birding blitz along the Pacific coast, designed to aid in the conservation of an iconic species. Bird lovers in California, Oregon, Washington, and Baja Mexico are invited to survey California Brown Pelicans on May 7, from 5 to 7 p.m. to better ...

Written by Cindy Harp — MARIPOSA — On a clear day, you can see forever. That is true for the Mariposa homes that will be on tour for the “Room with a View” fundraising event hosted by Mariposa AAUW (American Association of University Women) on Saturday, May 14, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The tour will give people a ...

MADERA COUNTY — As the construction project to widen a stretch of Highway 41 in the foothills continues to move along, officials say blasting will begin soon, along with anticipated delays. According to Department of Transportation (Caltrans) Project Manager Anand Kapoor, contractor Teichert Construction plans to start blasting during the day beginning Monday, Apr. 25. “The blasting is expected to ...

SACRAMENTO — When you call 9-1-1, what you are able to tell the dispatcher could mean the difference between life and death for yourself or a loved one. So who are these dedicated people who answer the call, and what do they need from you in those emergency situations? The California Highway Patrol (CHP) is honoring the men and women ...

AHWAHNEE — Think Charles Bukowski, William Faulkner, Joel and Ethan Coen movies, and Cormac McCarthy novels. And then — think Eric Taylor. Robin Ralston and the crew at the Coolwater Ranch are proud to bring this talented musician back to the ranch for a show on Saturday, Apr. 23 at 8 p.m., and now is the time to reserve your ...

Introduction by Virginia Eaton — In last week’s blog, I talked about massage as being good for the body and mind. Many of my readers had questions about other types of bodywork, and I solicited my friend and fellow health practitioner, Ruth Smiley, to talk about Cranial Sacral Therapy (CST). I have experienced CST by itself and in conjunction with ...

MARIPOSA — The Mariposa Symphony Orchestra will commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the National Park Service with seven performances of a world-premiere piece. The special program will be presented by the orchestra in concerts in five counties in April, May and August of 2016. The program is MSO Founder and Conductor Les Marsden’s own work “Our Nation’s Nature,” an orchestral ...

MARIPOSA – Mountains of minerals and more will be on display at the Mariposa Mineral & Gem Show this Saturday and Sunday, Apr. 9 – 10 at the Mariposa County Fairgrounds, From benitoite to topaz, nearly all the gems and minerals an expert can name are featured in the annual show which includes jewelry, exhibits, speakers, demonstrations, and lots of gold. ...

SACRAMENTO – Some of the monies collected from property owners in the mountain area through the yearly “rural fire fee” are slated to return to the community as grant funding for local projects. On Monday, Apr. 4, Cal Fire announced it had awarded an additional $3 million in grants throughout the state for a variety of fire prevention projects aimed ...