BASS LAKE – The new year brought some good news for one mountain area family after an “at-risk” O’Neals woman missing since Saturday night was “safely located” in the Bass Lake area, according to an update issued late Tuesday night by the Madera County Sheriff’s Office. Priscilla Pitman Melendez, 46, an O’Neals resident, was reported to have wandered away from ...

MOUNTAIN AREA — From progress on major new public and commercial projects to prosecution of high-profile criminal cases, 2019 was an eventful year in eastern Madera County. As 2020 dawns, here’s a look back at some of this year’s key stories. North Fork’s new roundabout: After several years of heated debate, Madera County’s first public roundabout was approved by the ...

By Joseph Langley, student reporter for Minarets Press O’NEALS — For four years now, Minarets has held a Community Day to close out the first semester of the year. This year has been no different. In fact, this year, it was bigger and better than ever. Students all around campus rose up to do something truly magic, and to give back ...

By Cara Coombs and video by Jo Ziegler, student journalists for Minarets Press O’NEALS — Not many people know what it takes to create the production of a play, but there are many things involved in making a production great, such as acting, props, actors, costumes, makeup, sound, and lighting. The Minarets Drama Program put on “The Little Mermaid” this ...

By Isabel Cox, student journalist for Minarets Press O’NEALS — The Minarets Competition Cheer Team has had a busy season with three competitions already completed. The first was in Santa Cruz by the boardwalk, then Clovis North and, mostly recently, in Bakersfield at the Convention Center on Dec. 7. With each competition the team’s scores have improved significantly and the ...

O’NEALS — Rebecca Townsend’s Senior Legacy Project is all about honoring the legacy of her grandmother Christine. The Minarets High student — via her “Sunflower Project” — has set out to raise money for the Kidney Foundation as well as to make blankets and fistula band covers for patients undergoing dialysis treatment. Townsend said she chose to focus her project ...

By Derek Ray, student journalist for Minarets Press O’NEALS — The Minarets Boys Soccer team had their most recent home game Dec. 10 against Riverdale High School. The Mustangs Varsity Team worked very hard during the game, but unfortunately left the stadium with a 6-2 loss against the Cowboys. Due to the Mustangs fall to Riverdale, they are now 1-3-2, ...

MADERA — Madera County’s chief administrative officer resigned Friday amid escalating accusations by County employees of a hostile work environment at the County Government Center. Fleming’s resignation was announced Friday afternoon following a closed session of Madera County’s board of supervisors, which Fleming did not attend. “The board has approved Eric Fleming’s resignation agreement and release,” said Board Chair Brett ...

O’NEALS — Four students from Minarets High School recently participated in the 2019 Santa Cruz Forestry Challenge. The students were part of a group of 84 high schoolers from twelve schools from the coastal and Central Valley regions. The event was held Oct. 9-12 at Redwood Glen in Loma Mar. Minarets placed second out of twenty-one teams, with a score ...

O’NEALS — A Coarsegold man died Sunday in a fatal traffic accident at Koko Drive near the 22 Mile House Valero gas station. The incident, which occurred shortly before noon, temporarily closed Highway 41 Sunday afternoon as emergency personnel responded to the scene. The accident involved three vehicles — a gray Toyota pickup, blue Ford Fusion and and a red ...