MADERA COUNTY — Madera County residents can now welcome more than two dozen new volunteers to the ranks of those who are ready, willing and very able to respond to Search & Rescue missions. Twenty-nine individuals completed the arduous four-month training to become Madera County Search & Rescue (MADSAR) team members, and proved their mettle on Saturday in a mock ...

YOSEMITE  — Organizers of the country’s largest series of travel shows announced the “Best of Show” winners of its record-breaking Los Angeles Travel & Adventure Show held at the Long Beach Convention Center earlier this year. The 2016 “Best of Show Regional Pavilion” award given out by Unicomm, LLC, went to Yosemite Experience. The Yosemite pavilion encompassed almost a complete ...

MARIPOSA — The National Wildlife Federation’s California Director, Beth Pratt-Bergstrom, will be signing copies of her new book, “When Mountain Lions Are Neighbors: People and Wildlife Working it Out in California,” on Thursday, May 19 at a special reception at Savoury’s Restaurant in Mariposa from 5-7 p.m. Pratt-Bergstrom, a long-time Midpines resident, has worked in environmental leadership roles for over ...

COUNTY — The Department of Transportation (Caltrans) reminds local drivers that blasting operations on State Route 41 have resumed this week and will continue periodically Monday through Thursday, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 2 p.m., weather permitting. Motorists should expect delays of up to 20-30 minutes, however, delays could be shorter or longer depending on the amount of ...

Submitted by Wendy Denton — When my husband Ken was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, we pledged to be conscious and awake throughout the journey together. Through images, we captured feelings, ideas, sadness, humor, and outright fun along the way. Our hope is to inspire others to be creative, talk about the experience of cancer more openly, and even have moments ...

COARSEGOLD — What’s a smile worth? It’s something many of us take for granted — the typically upturned corners of the mouth for a little grin, an amused expression showing pleasure, the joy we convey with a toothy laugh, without even thinking about it. One little girl in Coarsegold doesn’t take any of that for granted, because right now her smile lives only in ...

Written by Virginia Eaton — Staying active throughout the day is important for a lot of reasons. Movement makes your body happy, your mind sharper and your physiology more efficient. Most people over estimate how active they are by a considerable amount. When talking with my clients about exercise and movement, I strongly recommend that they use some sort of ...

BASS LAKE — Paddle your way to cash and prizes on beautiful Bass Lake as Bass Lake Boat Rentals hosts their first annual “Paddle Palooza” on Saturday, May 7. “This is a great day for everyone who wants to have some fun on a paddle board — referred to as a ‘SUP’ in our biz — kayak or canoe,” says ...

COARSEGOLD — Without a hitch, the 2016 Coarsegold Rodeo hit the dirt over three days last weekend and organizers are extremely pleased with the results. “The rodeo was a huge success,” confirms Jill Satterfield, President of the Coarsegold Rodeo Association. Grand Marshals this year were Dennis and Kathy Creighton, who’ve both been a big part of the association for years . ...

SIERRA NATIONAL FOREST — Watch out! Falling trees are a hazard when traveling in the forest, and this year’s die-off will require visitors to be on their guard even more than usual. While it may seem incredibly obvious on its face, reminding ourselves to practice good situational awareness is important. It’s easy to become complacent. The Sierra National Forest warns ...