I love hiking Yosemite’s Mono Pass Trail, a historic Native American trail and there are also many lakes along and off this trail. Some lakes have names such as Sardine, Spillway, Helen, Kuna, Bingaman and Parker Pass Lakes and many aren’t named. I brought my fishing pole with me. . .  just in case. Where: Yosemite National ParkDistance: About 9 ...

Special to Sierra News Online OAKHURST – As the great bard once said — “All the world’s a stage.” While this holds true in the metaphor of life, in March, due to COVID-19, the physical stage of Oakhurst’s Golden Chain Theatre went dark for the first time in 54 years. Now local patrons of the arts are needed more than ...

WALNUT CREEK – Phoenix Energy, the company building a new 2-MW biomass-fueled power plant in North Fork, has responded publicly to a lawsuit filed against the company late last week by a Tennessee firm claiming patent infringement. Greg Stangl, Phoenix Energy’s CEO, called the lawsuit filed by Aries Clean Energy “meritless” and “totally bogus.”“Phoenix Energy remains puzzled about the lawsuit ...

MADERA — At their regular meeting Tuesday (July 14), Madera County supervisors unanimously approved a plan to spend $16.25 million in federal coronavirus relief funding. County Administrative Officer Jay Varney and Finance Director Joel Bugay led the effort to secure the emergency funding, which is designated for counties hardest-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.According to the spending plan approved by supervisors ...

MADERA COUNTY — The search has stretched into a second week for a camper who went missing over the July 4th holiday weekend in the Sierra National Forest above Bass Lake. “Your family is worried about you,” was written on a sticker attached by Forest Service officials to Sandra Johnsen Hughes’ car, which was found about two miles from her ...

AHWAHNEE — A former employee is accused of stealing money from a popular area business over a six-month period. The alleged crime first came to light in late February when the Madera County Sheriff’s Office received a theft report from the owner of the Hitching Post restaurant and bar.  The suspect was subsequently identified as Angel Anderson, 62, of Bass ...

SACRAMENTO – The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) announced Friday that thousands of currently incarcerated persons could be eligible for release by end of August. The action, according to a CDCR press release, would allow the agency to “protect its most vulnerable population and staff from COVID-19.” Prison officials are under increased pressure after a series of COVID-19 ...

MOUNTAIN AREA — Superintendents of two area school districts both confirmed on Thursday that their schools are on track to open for the 2020-21 school year on August 13. “Schools will reopen one way or another,” said Bass Lake Joint Elementary School District Superintendent Randy Seals.Unfortunately, because of the recent surge in COVID-19 cases, there are still major questions about ...

NORTH FORK — Red Rock Resorts, a partner with North Fork’s Mono Indian tribe in a proposed casino/resort project in Madera, announced Sunday that Richard J. Haskins — president of the company — died in a July 4 “watercraft” accident while vacationing in Michigan. Haskins was 56 and had been with Red Rocks for 25 years.On Sunday, the company said ...

MOUNTAIN AREA — Sierra National Forest (SNF) together with California Land Management (CLM) and Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) officials announced Thursday the reopening of more developed recreation day use and picnic sites. SNF, CLM and PG&E officials have been working together closely and consulting with state and local public health officials for direction in a phased approach to safely ...