Written by Scarlett Bullock – MARIPOSA – The public is invited to attend a field trip to the Merced National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), hosted by the Yosemite Area Audubon Society, on Saturday, Feb. 9 (postponed from Feb. 2 due to weather). The trip will include viewing thousands of visiting waterfowl, shorebirds, sandhill cranes, Ross/snow geese, hawks, owls and a multitude ...

By Autumn Pecarovich — O’NEALS — The Minarets High School FFA natural resource/forestry and citrus teams competed this month to practice their skills, leaving for their two-day competition on Thursday, Jan. 10. These teams have been practicing weekly and applying themselves with hard work — now, their dedication has been put to the test in these competitions. “I felt like ...

MARIPOSA — The Mariposa County Master Gardeners recently held their annual Awards Banquet to recognize significant community contributions from various Master Gardeners. Prior to awarding the deserving recipients, Mariposa Master Gardeners President Ingrid Angelini held a general meeting for in-house business and discussed future community-purposed events. Heads up, these free and open to the public upcoming events include: ● 1/19/19 Fruit ...

AHWAHNEE — A graduating class of local middle school students is anxiously awaiting news that portable solar power units they made themselves are delivered more than nine thousand miles away to kids they haven’t met, but hope to help. They’re excited because they know they’re making a difference. Eighth graders at Wasuma Elementary School are still talking about the Solar ...

FRESNO – Residents of the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District can get their old gas-hogging, high-polluting vehicles checked at the first “Tune In Tune Up” event of 2019 on Saturday, Jan. 26, at the Fresno Fairgrounds. This free event offers emissions testing on a first-come, first-served basis. Car owners whose vehicles fail the emissions test may be eligible ...

It has been a couple of years since I hiked to Stevenson Falls and am revisiting this hike from 2016 because this is the perfect time of the year to go .  . . plus I didn’t have another blog ready for this Sunday. I have updated it a bit from the original blog and reformatted some of the pictures. ...

The Animal Compassion Team (ACT) foster and adoption Dog of the Week for SNO is a fairly large fella whose face is bound to produce a chuckle. “Hi, I’m Chunks! My foster mom says I’m a big four-year-old baby who is full of squish. I am house-trained, walk well on a leash and love all people. I also am good ...

By Kathleen Murphy — OAKHURST — “These picnic tables are huge!” exclaim dozens of kindergarten students at Oakhurst Elementary School. The students are enjoying their new playground picnic tables purchased by the Oakhurst Elementary Parent/Teacher Club (PTC). “We love our new picnic tables,” shares kindergarten teacher Karen Forbes. “The students use them for morning snack time and to chat with their ...

I thought you might like to know what I do to determine the weather for the day, whether I am hiking or just hanging out. I have a bit of a routine and there is no need to keep it a secret in case it might help you. I have several weather pages set to open on my start tabs ...

MOUNTAIN AREA — Well into the afternoon of Thursday, Jan. 17, storms continue to pound the area with heavy rain and wind in the foothills and snow in the higher country, with the potential for flash flooding in burn scar areas. Flash Flood Watch From 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 16 through 10 p.m. Thursday evening.  Flash Flood Watch is in ...