By Helen Willoughby-Peck (UC Master Gardener, Mariposa) It is a good idea to take a walk in your garden every day. It is good for you, but more importantly, it is good for your plants. Observing your plants on a regular basis can help control pests beginning to enjoy your tomatoes before you can. When caught early, pests are usually ...

OAKHURST — Creating a budget is for many people a “love/hate” relationship, says Edward Azul, branch manager of Golden 1 Credit Union in Oakhurst. “It’s that way even for me. However, through my own personal and professional experiences over the years, I have developed some best practices to help people create and stay on a budget,” he adds. On Saturday, ...

MADERA COUNTY — Bass Lake Joint Union Elementary, Chawanakee, Raymond-Knowles Union Elementary and Yosemite Unified School Districts announce their policy to serve nutritious meals every school day under the applicable National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, and/or Afterschool Snack Programs. Effective July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2019, children are eligible for free or reduced-price meals if the household ...

MADERA COUNTY — Caltrans is advising commuters of one-way traffic control on State Route 41 this week, between Avenue 15 and State Route 145, for grinding and paving work. The following day-time one-way traffic control will be in effect, weather permitting: On Tuesday June 26 and Wednesday June 27, segments of State Route 41 between Avenue 15 and State Route 145 ...

CLOVIS – Residents of the mountain area have been greeted the past two mornings with an orange haze and the smell of smoke, though there is no active fire in the immediate area. The smoke is coming from the Lions Fire, which started on the Sierra National Forest around June 1 as a lightning strike, and is burning near the ...

Everyone I know has been breathing a sigh of relief for the rain that has once again filled our wells and reservoirs, while bracing for the impact of summer sunshine on the landscape. If you haven’t already lined someone up to take care of the weed whacking, you may want to get that on your “to do” list. And while you’re ...

Bergamo was great and we were really looking forward to Cinque Terre. Unfortunately, what we didn’t realize was — most of Western Europe had a three-day weekend and the UK had a whole week off and, you know what?  They all descended on the highway between Bergamo and Cinque Terre. We fly for twelve hours to get away from California ...

MARIPOSA – The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) would like to remind Eastern Madera and Mariposa County residents of the fire danger and use of illegal fireworks. All fireworks, including “Safe and Sane,” are illegal in Mariposa County as well as all areas east of the Madera Canal in Madera County. Public displays will be available ...

OAKHURST — A mom calls out to her son, “Harry, wake up! You’ll be late for school.” The son replies, “Mom, I don’t want to go to school — the teachers and students hate me! Give me one reason I should go?” The mom says back, “You should go because you’re the principal!” Fortunately, 32 students at Oakhurst Elementary School ...

MOUNTAIN AREA — An easy-going group of like-minded, ultra-competent individuals, the Sierra Freepackers unit of the Back Country Horsemen of California (BCHCSFP) is comprised of a small but committed unit of volunteers, currently 50 members strong. Despite their moderate size, the group consistently ranks among the highest per capita for volunteer hours in trail maintenance, public awareness and education, logging ...