Written by Lexey Jenkins — COARSEGOLD — Hello and happy summer!  This is our last month of the 4-H year. This month is also 4-H camp, for ages 14 – 18 at Huntington Lake. 4-H camp is a very fun experience, and you can even become a junior counselor or teen counselor. It’s too late to sign up this year ...

MADERA COUNTY — A two-day Search & Rescue effort concluded with the very best of outcomes when a missing man was located in the Miami Motorcycle Trail area this morning. About 10:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 19, the Madera County Sheriff’s Office received a report that the parents of a 21-year-old man were unable to locate him in the forested ...

MADERA COUNTY — Travelers can rest assured, knowing that blasting operations have concluded on the Highway 41 passing lanes project now under construction, according to the Department of Transportation (Caltrans). Caltrans’ Cory Burkharth confirmed today — there will not be any more blasting. “This week the contractor is placing aggregate base rock for the southbound widening lane,” says Burkharth. “Next ...

COARSEGOLD — During times of unthinkable tragedy, there is often someone who rushes in to help. They may go unrecognized, and sometimes they may suffer a different kind of trauma than those who have lost a loved one. The community is mourning the loss of Ruby Alvarez, a beautiful, vibrant 24-year-old mom, daughter, niece and sister, who was known by ...

EARTH — In a rare occurence, and for the first time since 1948, the full moon on Monday, June 20 will appear on the same night as summer solstice in the northern hemisphere. The sun will be high, and the moon will be low. Known as the honey moon for its sometimes-amber color, or strawberry moon for seasonal abundance, you ...

Submitted by Mathew Sands — OAKHURST — This marks the third year for one of the most highly regarded live music events in the Yosemite area. Sierra Tel presents 2016 Sounds of Solstice Music Festival on Saturday, Jun. 18 at Oakhurst Community Park. All proceeds benefit Boys & Girls Club of Oakhurst. Bootstrap Circus, The Green Machine, Ten Ton Chicken ...

Written by Virginia Eaton — There’s a lot of research studying the care and feeding of the bacteria in our gut. Researchers have found numerous links between the health of the gut microbiome (the colonization of bacteria that live in our intestines) and the immune system, autism, depression, autoimmune diseases and conditions in the bowel. This includes inflammatory bowel disease, ...

MARIPOSA – While recent rains this winter and spring have been a welcome sight in California, drought conditions continue to increase fire danger in the region prompting Cal Fire to suspend all burn permits for outdoor residential burning within the State Responsibility Area of Madera, Mariposa and Merced Counties. This suspension took effect June 17, and bans all residential outdoor ...

OAKHURST — We’ve all enjoyed the recent bout of cooler weather, and now we need to prepare for the real deal as temperatures hit three digits before long. While the National Weather Service in Hanford forecasts that the foothills on Saturday, June 18 will hit a high near 84 degrees, and a low around 50, by Sunday, June 19, the temps are expected to ...

OAKHURST — If you don’t have your young ones squared away for the next couple of weeks and you’re still looking for opportunities, take heart. Vision Academy of the Arts camp will run for two more weeks at Oakhurst Elementary School. Camp this year runs the weeks of June 20 – 24 with Harmony High. June 27 – July 1 is On the Radio. ...