MADERA COUNTY — The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously today to hold a special election on Mar. 7, 2017, to put the proposed one-cent public safety tax before the voters of the unincorporated areas of Madera County. Revenues from the tax would be dedicated exclusively to funding the Madera County Fire Department and the Sheriff’s Office, split 80 percent to ...

MADERA COUNTY – Following are details from the Madera County Sheriff’s Office of reports taken locally from Monday, Nov. 7 to Sunday, Nov. 13, 2016: Oakhurst court order violation arrest On Monday, Nov. 7, at 12:26 a.m. deputies were dispatched to the 45000 block of Lauri Lane regarding a violation of a court order. Upon arrival the restrained person was ...

SAN FRANCISCO — Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) is joining utilities throughout North America to make customers aware of telephone, mail, email and door-to-door/in-person scams that involve criminals posing as utility company representatives and demanding immediate payment or personal information. The “Utilities United Against Scams” collaboration has designated Wednesday, Nov. 16, as Utilities United Against Scams Day. This day ...

MARIPOSA – Recent rains and cooler temperatures across the region have lowered the threat of wildfires allowing Cal Fire’s Madera-Mariposa- Merced Unit (MMU) to transition out of peak fire season effective Monday, Nov. 14, at 8 a.m. in Madera, Mariposa and Merced Counties. “The 2016 fire season was challenging throughout the State of California, and the Madera-Mariposa-Merced Unit was very ...

NORTH FORK — The Sierra Nevada Conservancy is offering a free workshop, “Introduction to Grant Writing,” on Dec. 6 and 7, in North Fork. This two-day intensive workshop is focused on building grant writing skills for organizations and agencies in the Sierra Nevada region. “The Sierra Nevada Conservancy (SNC) looks to the organizations, agencies, and local governments in the region ...

MADERA COUNTY — Votes are still being counted at this hour in the Madera County election, and are being continuously updated at votemadera.com. For a complete tally of Madera County election results, click here. For state-wide results, click here.

CALIFORNIA — The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in California is expanding its initiative to assist private forestland owners in addressing tree mortality and other drought-related damage to improve forest health. NRCS will provide financial assistance for landowners with dead and dying conifer forest trees in certain counties. Removing dead tree debris and other woody material will also help ...

NORTH FORK — Squirrel Cage Theatre Co. presents its annual Fall Follies on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 4 and 5, at the North Fork Town Hall. Dinner will be served starting at 6 p.m., with the show at 7 p.m. Roz Thrapp will be working her magic in the kitchen, serving up baked chicken, baked potato, salad, and homemade rolls, ...

OAKHURST — Tom Wheeler will hold his final Town Hall meeting of the year this Thursday, Nov. 10, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Oakhurst Community Center. Items on the agenda include the proposed Public Safety Sales Tax, slated to be put before voters in March 2017. Georgiena Vivian, President of VRPA Technologies, will give a detailed presentation about ...

Submitted by Haley Gostanian —  MADERA COUNTY — In last few years, there has been an alarming increase of chronic disease diagnoses in our communities. By 2050, it is estimated that one in three Americans will be diagnosed with diabetes. A startling 1.4 million Americans are diagnosed with diabetes every year, and 30 million children and adults currently have been ...