NORTH FORK – ‘Tis the season of lederhosen and hops and, to that end, the North Fork Chamber of Commerce invites the community to celebrate Oktoberfest at Bandit Town on Saturday, Oct. 10 from 5 – 10:30 p.m. Live music will fill the air as The Executive Rocker Show and Good Medicine take the stage for this inaugural Oktoberfest celebration. ...

Submitted by Cassandra Melching COUNTY – Do you know a Madera County foothill student from kindergarten through high school age who loves to create? Help them showcase their work in the annual Healthy Air Living Kids’ Calendar. The deadline for entries is Monday, Oct. 5 for the annual, four-color, bilingual, wall calendar. It’s produced with the help of students who ...

By Tally Scott and Cole Shattuck — O’NEALS – What’s better than a car show? A car show to support our troops! Entry to the public is free and it’s just $25 to enter a car (‘74 or older) in the show. Proceeds will go to the Wounded Warrior Project, which helps injured soldiers in a variety of ways. There ...

NORTH FORK – The annual breakfast to benefit the Heifer Project is this Sunday, Sept. 27, at Grace Community Church in North Fork. Sponsored by the Board of Christian Education, and orchestrated by the folks at Grace Community, this yearly pancake breakfast raises money to buy animals or trees to benefit families in poverty stricken areas around the world. For ...

NORTH FORK – Firefighters responded to a fire on Road 222 near Corrine Lake Road south of North Fork at about 10:40 a.m. this morning. They quickly handled that fire, and were immediately diverted to another vegetation fire on Road 200 near the bottom of Walker Grade, about 8 miles west of North Fork. A witness stated that he saw ...

Submitted by Michael Vaughan O’NEALS – Want to play some soccer with friends without leaving the mountain area?  Join the co-ed mountain area soccer league.  Registration is open to all adults (18+).  Just go to Oakhurst Adult Soccer online and join one of six teams. Rules:  11 vs. 11.  30 minute halves.  Maximum 2 male and female players under 30 ...

MADERA COUNTY – Following are details from the Madera County Sheriff’s Office of reports taken locally during the week of Monday, Sept. 14 through Sunday, Sept. 20, 2015. Oakhurst theft from vehicle On Monday, Sept. 14 at 11:26 a.m. a deputy was dispatched to the Oakhurst sub-station regarding a theft of items from an unlocked vehicle. Report taken. Case to ...

O’NEALS – Just before 8:30 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 20, firefighters responded to a vegetation fire on My Way near House Ranch Road just off Road 200 between O’Neals and North Fork. First engine at scene reported 3-5 acres burning in grass and woodlands, with a moderate rate of spread. Madera County Engines 8, 10, 11, 15, 17 and Water ...

By Angel Domingo As you may or may not have heard, at the start of the school year, Minarets no longer had an official cheer team. There was no cheer coach or cheer organization, until two of Minarets seniors, Hannah Cockerham and Gianna Sidoti, decided to organize a team together and do it on their own. In order for them ...

By Krysten Siebert — New things can sometimes be scary, especially when one jumps right in without completing a few steps in the process. My transition from homeschool to public school involved three steps and was not a short process. At first I started out completely doing all school at home. Next I took it a step further and went ...