NORTH FORK – A sure sign of spring is the annual Tri-tip BBQ, put on by the North Fork Volunteer Fire Department Auxiliary. It is scheduled this year for Saturday, Apr. 22, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the North Fork School, alongside the local Earth Day celebration. This is the major fundraiser for the Auxiliary, who work hard ...

MADERA COUNTY – Following are details from the Madera County Sheriff’s Office of reports taken locally from Monday, Apr. 10 to Sunday, Apr. 16, 2017: North Fork warrant citation On Monday, Apr. 10 at 9:34 a.m. a deputy contacted a male subject in the 32000 block of Road 222 who was cited and released for an outstanding misdemeanor warrant. Case ...

SACRAMENTO – Being Ready for Wildfire has never been easier with Cal Fire’s new Ready for Wildfire app. This new tool puts a whole library of step-by-step checklists in the palm of the user’s hand. It allows homeowners to track their progress while creating Defensible Space, hardening their homes with fire-resistant construction, assembling an emergency supply kit and creating a ...

NORTH FORK — As always, the North Fork Boy Scout Troop 357 has had a busy winter. In January, the Scouts spent the afternoon at Boomers! in Fresno, and before returning to North Fork, stopped at In-N-Out for dinner. In February, the Scouts headed up to Shaver Lake for a day in the snow, and in March, traveled to Morro ...

COARSEGOLD — For nearly a month now, one local man has been concerned about conditions in Coarsegold Creek. Knowing that heavy rains this winter and spring may have caused some septic systems to be overwhelmed, he wants to spread the word that the creek may be contaminated, and people nearby may want to check their septic systems and possibly avoid the creek ...

BASS LAKE — Last week, the County of Madera hosted its two-day Management Workshop in Bass Lake, Calif., which was titled, “United into the Future.” The annual workshop, held this year on Apr. 5 and 6, gives County staff a chance to share the challenges and successes of the past year, and plan the way forward in providing better service ...

MADERA COUNTY – Following are details from the Madera County Sheriff’s Office of reports taken locally from Monday, Apr. 3 to Sunday, Apr. 9, 2017: Oakhurst theft On Monday, Apr. 3 at 12:07 p.m., a deputy at the Oakhurst substation was dispatched to speak to a reporting party concerning a petty theft, said to have taken place on the 47000 Block of Road 620. ...

SIERRA NATIONAL FOREST — Volunteers are now being recruited for the season to serve as fire lookouts on Miami Mountain. Miami Lookout is a lookout tower located just east of Nippinawasee and is staffed throughout the fire season by Forest Service Volunteers. The tower is a great asset to our mountain community because it is located in a prime location ...

NORTH FORK  – The Bass Lake Ranger District is set to begin the 2017 reforestation program, and will have seedlings for you to adopt. During the next two months, contract and Forest Service crews will be planting approximately 235 acres with up to 70,000 seedlings addressing areas impacted by the 2014 French and Courtney Fires. Approximately 250 to 350 seedlings ...

CLOVIS – The Sierra National Forest (SNF) is now selling Personal Use Wood Cutting Permits for the Apr. 1 through Nov. 30 period. Forest Service offices in North Fork, Prather and Clovis began selling permits on Monday, Apr. 3. All permits will be valid only for the Sierra National Forest lands and do not include private property. The forest will ...