I had missed out hiking in the Bridalveil Creek area when the wildflowers were going full blast but a couple of friends told me that I was not too late and they were sure right. Fireweed was getting ready to take over the wildflower show and it is always cool to spot a bear! Where: Yosemite National Park Distance: 7.41 ...

COARSEGOLD — Sunny blue skies and a relatively mild weather forecast were expected to help draw at least 4,000 or 5,000 people over the long weekend to the annual Labor Day Peddlers Fair at Coarsegold’s Historic Village. The event provides an opportunity for vendors specializing in antiques and collectibles to display and “peddle” their exotic wares. There’s also plenty of ...

OAKHURST — Sharon Fitzgerald, board president of EMC SPCA, shared a progress report this week regarding the organization’s new no-kill animal shelter off Highway 49 in Ahwahnee. Fitzgerald, the organization’s driving force for nearly 30 years, is the owner of The Cat’s Meow in Oakhurst. She also operates the EMC SPCA Thrift Shop next door to her store. The 2,000-square-foot ...

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK — Yosemite National Park Ranger Jack Hoeflich is among the best and most versatile park rangers in the country  — and he’s now got the hardware to prove it. At a special ceremony held at the United States Department of the Interior last week, Hoeflich was honored as the 2018 recipient of the National Park Service’s Harry ...

Some days things just don’t go as planned. But we eventually made it to our hiking adventure along the Mono Pass Trail, wandering the mountains in search of beautiful flowers and reflections in the water. Where: Yosemite National Park Distance: About 9 Miles (but you can go as far as you wish) Difficulty: Moderate to Strenuous Elevation Range: 9,596′ – ...

BASS LAKE — With the approach of the Labor Day weekend and the traditional wind-down of summer activities at Bass Lake, the Madera County Sheriff’s office is reporting boating under the influence (BUI) arrests are up 45 percent in 2019. Madera County Sheriff’s Corporal Amy Roussell said she attributes the increase in BUI arrests “to the training and experience of ...

NORTH FORK — Just after 5:30 p.m. today CHP received reports of a two-vehicle accident involving a motorcycle and a Jeep on Road 225 and Road 274 in North Fork. According to CHP, at approximately 5:30 p.m., the  21-year-old male driver of the Jeep from Oakhurst made an illegal u-turn, striking a 41-year-old male motorcycle rider from Paso Robles. The ...

NORTH FORK — A project nearly a decade in planning appears poised to begin final construction, possibly as soon as later this year. Proponents of a plan to build a two mega-watt biomass plant in North Fork are in the midst of finalizing a multi-million dollar financing package that will pave the way for full-scale construction to begin at the ...

MADERA COUNTY – Following are details from the Madera County Sheriff’s Office of reports taken locally from Tuesday, August 13, to Monday, August 19, 2019. Oakhurst Narcotics Arrest On Tuesday, August 13, at 7:06 p.m., a deputy was dispatched to the East parking lot of Oakhurst Elementary regarding a suspicious vehicle. A subject was arrested and booked into Madera County ...

PRATHER — Effective immediately, the High Sierra Ranger District office will be closed on the weekends. The office will be closed on Saturdays and Sundays beginning August 24, 2019. The office will be open Monday – Friday from 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. for your forest needs. Here are the Sierra National Forest’s office hours: • High Sierra Ranger District, ...