SIERRA NATIONAL FOREST – The French Fire, burning on the Bass Lake Ranger District near Rock Creek, has prompted the evacuation and closure of all campgrounds along Forest Road 81 (Minarets/Mammoth Pool Road). According to the Forest Service, the closure on Road 81 will be moved down to the Redinger Lake Overlook, about seven miles up from North Fork. Residents ...

SIERRA NATIONAL FOREST – More than 2,000 acres along the Sierra Vista Scenic Byway have now been charred as the French Fire continues its march through the Bass Lake Ranger District. It is currently at zero percent containment. The fire, which was reported just before 6 a.m. on Monday, July 28, moved a bit to the south overnight, prompting a ...

NORTH FORK – For the sixth year in a row, the folks at the Hillside Baptist church will be giving away shoes to the kids of North Fork. Over the course of this annual Shoe Giveaway, more than 1,500 pairs of shoes have been donated or purchased, and perfectly fitted by Pastor Steve to the feet of countless children in ...

SIERRA NATIONAL FOREST – A fire near Rock Creek campground in the Sierra National Forest is limiting access to the Minarets/Mammoth Pool Road and displacing campers. About 100 acres have burned since the fire was reported about 6 a.m. this morning by the lookout at Shuteye Peak. The Incident Commander is reporting via radio that there is a potential for ...

NORTH FORK – Kids really looked forward to Wednesdays this summer as the North Fork Library let young readers get hands-on during their Summer Reading Program, Paws to Read. Kids from 4 years of age to 12th grade participated every Wednesday afternoon in fun projects with special guests. And of course, they got to explore the wonderful world of books.

O’NEALS – As the time nears for school to resume, personnel changes are being reported throughout the districts, including some notable new additions and a key departure within Minarets High School. Michael Niehoff has been the principal at Minarets since the school’s inception six years ago. “I have been a secondary educator since 1990, have always worked in project-based, tech-integrated ...

NORTH FORK – Local hero Jill Nolen, 25, returned triumphantly from the 2014 Transplant Games of America in Houston, holding a dozen medals and hoping to make the world more aware of the unlimited possibilities that go along with giving and receiving the gift of life. The recent Cal State Fresno grad went to Houston to compete as one of ...

NORTH FORK – She walked away with 8 gold medals in the last Transplant Games two years ago, so it’s not like the pressure is on or anything. Jill Nolen calls that experience beginner’s luck, which she must have had since the day she was born a little more than 25 years ago, although it may not have seemed that ...

NORTH FORK – After the retirement of several teachers at the end of the 2013-14 school year, the North Fork School will be welcoming three new teachers this fall. Katie Kelly joins the staff as the 7th / 8th grade Math and Science teacher. She comes from Mariposa and lives in North Fork with her family. Husband Bob teaches at ...

NORTH FORK – The 55th Annual Mid-Sierra Logger’s Jamboree was a rousing success, which is great news for the kids who enjoy the Summer Youth Program funded by this event. Over 1,600 people attended the weekend’s competition, enjoying the cloud cover on Sunday which made finding a shady seat a breeze.