NORTH FORK – Backers of a plan to build a $15 million biomass plant in North Fork confirmed Tuesday that financing on the project closed escrow in the final hours of 2019 — paving the way for construction to finally begin in April. “We closed just hours before midnight on New Year’s Eve,” said project coordinator Greg Stangl of Phoenix ...

NORTH FORK — This photo is courtesy of Rose Davis-Cobb, board member of the Sierra Mono Museum & Cultural Center, and features two Mono women who are extras in the movie “Deer Slayer.” Can anyone provide information on where the filming took place in the area of North Fork, Madera County? What were the names of other local extras? What ...

MOUNTAIN AREA — From progress on major new public and commercial projects to prosecution of high-profile criminal cases, 2019 was an eventful year in eastern Madera County. As 2020 dawns, here’s a look back at some of this year’s key stories. North Fork’s new roundabout: After several years of heated debate, Madera County’s first public roundabout was approved by the ...

NORTH FORK — The North Fork Rancheria’s Indian Housing Authority (NFRIHA) was awarded a $5 million U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Indian Housing Block Grant Program grant to support infrastructure for 25 new, low-income housing units. The grant award was officially announced last week. “Decent, safe and affordable housing is a scarce and valuable resource for our Tribe ...

NORTH FORK — Nestled in the serenity of the Sierra National Forest outside North Fork, the amazing Burmese architecture of the Vipassana Pagoda stands out — even amid the natural splendor of the Central Sierras. Situated on 109 forested acres, the North Fork Vipassana Meditation Center — which will quietly mark its 30th anniversary next year — hosts students from ...

OAKHURST — Local timber sports superstar Nate Hodges is opening a new club in Oakhurst called Yosemite Axe Throwing. “I’m hoping to open this weekend but with the end of the year and holidays approaching, it’s taking longer than I anticipated to bind an insurance policy,” Hodges told SNO this week. The new club, which features nine individual throwing lanes, ...

MADERA — Madera County’s chief administrative officer resigned Friday amid escalating accusations by County employees of a hostile work environment at the County Government Center. Fleming’s resignation was announced Friday afternoon following a closed session of Madera County’s board of supervisors, which Fleming did not attend. “The board has approved Eric Fleming’s resignation agreement and release,” said Board Chair Brett ...

MADERA COUNTY – Following are details from the Madera County Sheriff’s Office reports taken locally from Tuesday, December 3, to Monday, December 9, 2019. Coarsegold Narcotics Found On Tuesday, December 3, at 5:19 a.m., a deputy was dispatched to Lucky Lane in the County of Madera regarding found narcotics. Narcotics were collected and submitted for destruction and report was written. ...

O’NEALS — Four students from Minarets High School recently participated in the 2019 Santa Cruz Forestry Challenge. The students were part of a group of 84 high schoolers from twelve schools from the coastal and Central Valley regions. The event was held Oct. 9-12 at Redwood Glen in Loma Mar. Minarets placed second out of twenty-one teams, with a score ...

NORTH FORK — Mother Nature has tapped the brakes on North Fork’s highly anticipated new roundabout. The recent series of storms — including a rare “bomb cyclone” — has forced contractors on the job to slow the pace of work, according to Ahmad Alkhayyat, Madera County’s director of public works. Construction of Madera County’s first public roundabout began in mid-June ...