Submitted by Emma Bloodworth, student journalist for Minarets Press This semester has been full of many achievements for Minarets FFA including numerous successes in competitions, as well as a great turnout in FFA meetings and banquets. At our virtual Fall Banquet on Nov. 12 and 13, the department recognized last year’s top freshman, top sophomore, top juniors and top seniors ...

OAKHURST – Let’s take a breath. It’s good to look for silver-linings at the close of one of the most difficult years in recent memory. For many, spending New Year’s Eve at home with pets and loved ones is not the norm. However, at the southern gateway to Yosemite, you can’t keep them down, Yosemite Wine Tails is hosting the ...

CLOVIS – With the recent change in weather conditions, Fire Officials with the Sierra National Forest are declaring the Creek Fire 100 percent contained. The Creek Fire started the evening of September 04, 2020 in the Big Creek drainage burning an unprecedented 379,895 acres before being contained on December 24, 2020. Due to the severity of the fire, many hazard trees ...

NORTH FORK – Christmas was a little brighter this year for some Madera County Mountain Community children thanks to the efforts of Red Barn Coffee Co. and the North Fork Boosters. The Red Barn Coffee Co. and the North Fork Boosters sponsored a Santa “wish list”  giveaway to benefit some children that otherwise may not have had a present under ...

Please don’t tell my dogs that I left them home for this easy hike along the Wild and Scenic Merced River on an old Railroad Bed. It would have been a perfect hike for them. Where: Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Merced River Recreation Management Area, United States Forest Service, Sierra National ForestDistance: 8.93 miles round trip but you can ...

FRESNO — As Kimberly Rocca approached 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. in Washington, D.C., her eyes lit up with excitement, as she saw a long-time dream of hers come to fruition. Rocca, a local event planner, was at the White House and she was about to help decorate the historic home for the holidays. Rocca applied for the opportunity to decorate the ...

SACRAMENTO – The Keep California Working Act garnered more momentum in the Legislature with new co-authors announcing their support for the bill within the last week. With the new additions, a total of thirty-seven legislators are now supporting the measure. This milestone signifies an opportunity for the Legislature to work together on small business relief efforts. The Keep California Working ...

YOSEMITE — As we come to the end of what can only be described as a “unique” 2020, we are indeed grateful that places like Yosemite have remained intact and protected through these challenges. Thanks to the foresight and commitment of countless advocates throughout the last century, Yosemite remains a sanctuary – what some might even consider a temple – ...

Sierra National Forest (SNF), Clovis, CA., – Launching in March 2021, overnight visitors to the Sierra National Forest’s wilderness areas will be able to make their wilderness permit reservations using the website Recreation.gov. This will replace the current system, by which reservations were submitted by mail, or in person, and processed manually. Recreation.gov provides trip planning and reservation services for public lands nationwide, using it for wilderness permit issuance will bring the forest into alignment ...

Please Join Us As We Celebrate And Recognize Sheriff Douglas Binnewies For His 30 Years Of Service To Mariposa County And The Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office. The Board Of Supervisors Will Honor Him During Their Meeting On Tuesday December 22nd At 11am. Due To Covid Restrictions, The Board Chamber Can Only Accommodate 19 People at a time, Therefore, We Encourage ...