OAKHURST – In the midst of a firefight along Road 420 this afternoon, while residents were evacuating, crews were cutting fireline, and tankers and helicopters were dropping water and retardant, two tankers were forced to return to Fresno with half their load undelivered, and three helicopters were grounded when someone decided to fly a drone over the Sundance Fire south ...

OAKHURST – A fire burning along Road 420 just off Highway 41 on the south side of Deadwood has prompted road closures and evacuations. Just after 3:30 p.m. today, several reports came in of a smoke just south of Road 420 at Sundance Drive, about 1/2 mile east of Highway 41. The first few engines on scene attacked the fire ...

COARSEGOLD — The American Red Cross of the Central Valley is opening a shelter to assist residents affected by the Sundance Fire. The shelter is located at the Yosemite Lakes Community Church, 43840 Patrick Ave. in Yosemite Lakes Park. Red Cross volunteers will provide lodging, meals, hygiene kits and more for the evacuated families. “We started working with our government ...

OAKHURST – For those who need some coaching on the use of computers, setting up email, or using the internet, the Oakhurst Library is offering you a free class to hone your skills. Beginning on Wednesday, Sept. 16, Heather Kolberg will be teaching a 4-week beginner’s class on working with computers. The classes run on consecutive Wednesdays from 9 – ...

BASS LAKE – Keep Our Mountains Beautiful (KOMB) organizers plan to tidy up a long section of Bass Lake Road on Saturday, Sept. 12 from 8 a.m. to noon. The clean-up will take place from the intersection of Road 222 and Highway 41, all the way to the Pines Resort and possibly more, depending on the number of people who ...

OAKHURST – On Saturday, Sept. 19, from 10:30 a.m. to noon, the Oakhurst Library will host Byron Lewis who will explain to his audience how to identify which old books are, or will become, valuable. Byron is a local rare book collector, and he enjoys sharing his knowledge of old, rare books. He’ll explain how to identify which books are ...

OAKHURST – Call it what you want: a lightbulb moment, an epiphany, a sound idea. Whatever term is used, it’s what Virginia Eaton had, and now locals may benefit as a result. She’s the owner of a new community fitness center designed with an emphasis on living — and aging — well. The Grand Opening of Class, the Body Pastiche ...

OAKHURST – As part of the Oakhurst Branch Library’s community offerings, local author Jennifer Moss will be giving a 6-week Fiction Writing Workshop for aspiring authors. The workshop will cover the basic elements of storytelling, fiction writing, and today’s publishing industry. “In my workshops, I use examples from literature, movies and television, because those are our current storytelling mediums and ...

BASS LAKE – The local chapter of nonprofit organization Helping One Woman (HOW) will meet at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 16, at The Forks Resort restaurant at Bass Lake in support of Stefany Pilliar-Radcliffe. Stefany met her husband, John, when her children were five and two years old. He supported her through many years of classes, say HOW organizers, ...

MADERA COUNTY – Following are details from the Madera County Sheriff’s Office of reports taken locally during the week of Monday, Aug. 31 through Sunday, Sept. 6, 2015. Oakhurst theft On Monday, Aug. 31 at 7:51 a.m. a deputy was dispatched to the 49000 block of Road 426 in Oakhurst regarding the theft of a bicycle. An investigation was conducted ...