SACRAMENTO — As wildfires burn across California, new estimates on the number of dead trees in California were announced, prompting continued concern for California’s forest health and wildfire danger. Today, the US Forest Service released the outcome of its latest aerial surveys over California forestland, finding that over 66 million trees have now died due to drought and bark beetles ...

Written by Lexey Jenkins — COARSEGOLD — Hello and happy summer!  This is our last month of the 4-H year. This month is also 4-H camp, for ages 14 – 18 at Huntington Lake. 4-H camp is a very fun experience, and you can even become a junior counselor or teen counselor. It’s too late to sign up this year ...

30 miles on the back on a horse through the box of the Paria Canyon in Utah through red slot canyons and colorful cliffs full of history was my kind of ride. Riding though the areas that the Indians used, early Mormon settlers traveled, outlaws hung out, cattlemen drove their herd through and rustlers stole them was a special treat. ...

Written by Virginia Eaton — There’s a lot of research studying the care and feeding of the bacteria in our gut. Researchers have found numerous links between the health of the gut microbiome (the colonization of bacteria that live in our intestines) and the immune system, autism, depression, autoimmune diseases and conditions in the bowel. This includes inflammatory bowel disease, ...

Written by Mary Odell — SIERRA NATIONAL FOREST — Members of the Sierra Freepackers were asked last year by the Bass Lake Ranger District of the US Forest Service to aid in the restoration of the historic French Trail. The French Trail was burned out in the course of the French Fire during the summer of 2014.   “TRAIL HISTORY: ...

YOSEMITE – The Merced River pushes past spectators with enormous gusto, as a wide area is cordoned off under the trees at Happy Isle Bridge. Yosemite Search and Rescue (YOSAR) teams are preparing to demonstrate swift water rescue techniques in order to convey a crucial message to the visiting public: stay safe out there. Click on images to enlarge. A ...

Written by Kathleen Murphy — OAKHURST — As adults, we drag ourselves out of bed every single morning, even on days we’re not feeling ourselves, to get to work on time.  As adults, we know that attendance matters, particularly with our employers! Now, imagine a child doing this every single day throughout the school year. At OES, 29 children not ...

YOSEMITE — Yosemite National Park managers will be hosting a delegation from Sister Park, Berchtesgaden National Park in Germany, from June 19 to 25. During the visit, park managers will exchange ideas and practices and further the Sister Park Arrangement. Berchtesgaden is located in the southern mountains of Germany near the Austrian border, a region famous for the filming of iconic ...

On the back of a horse, I rode in the hoofprints that Butch Cassidy rode while he was evading Panguitch Town Sheriff Haycock. I rode up through Utah’s brilliant, red canyons past hoodoos and ponderosa pines to a couple of his hide-outs. Hearing stories of Butch from a local historian and riding in his hoof prints was a once in a ...

Written by Virginia Eaton — I’m not a big fan of New Year’s Resolution (NYR) but, for some people, they are extremely helpful in attaining a goal. Sadly, by March, most people have abandoned their resolutions. However, if you’ve stayed focused and moving forward on your health or weight resolutions, you can count yourself as one of the elite NYR ...