OAKHURST – Two local students just experienced life-changing weeks away from home, attending summer programs designed to elevate the country’s young leaders while allowing them first-person access to the ideals and practices that shape the American goverment. Quentin Lawrence and Meagan Montalto, Yosemite High School class of 2016, shared their recent experiences with American Legion Boys State and American Legion ...

By Kellie Flanagan – MOUNTAIN AREA – More than half of California is mountain lion habitat. Sometimes, more than others, we’re reminded of that. It happened this month, and wasn’t reported right away. Dan Fidler got a call stating that a mountain lion had killed livestock on Jose Basin Road in Fresno County in a nocturnal attack that left residents ...

This hike was not for sissies. That is what one of my hiking buddies said to me on the way down the hill from the Dana Glacier as we had just finished descending three glacial moraines while it was hailing. One of the most difficult hikes that I have done, it was also a beautiful one that had white puffy ...

YOSEMITE – Yosemite National Park is restoring the federally endangered Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog to alpine lakes within the park. The yellow-legged frog was once the most common frog in mountain lakes throughout the Sierra Nevada, but introduced predators and diseases caused their population to decline by over 95 percent. Park experts are encouraged by the results of initial restoration ...

OAKHURST – Fallers and crews from Cal Fire and the US Forest Service were hard at work along Cedar Valley Drive today, removing hazard trees that pose a danger to motorists and residents. The project is a cooperative effort between Cal Fire, the Forest Service and the Madera County Road Department (Public Works) to get out ahead of the mounting ...

Submitted by Karen Morris, Coarsegold Historical Society/Museum – The picture of these two little women is painted on paper with a fabric backing. It was donated to the Coarsegold Historical Society and now hangs in the Adobe building on the museum grounds. Do you recognize who these two young girls are? We are asking for help in identifying the girls ...

OAKHURST – It’s been said we eat with our eyes before our mouth, and now you can easily do both in a most imaginative way, for free, on three different occasions. The public is cordially invited to a Celebration of Tasteful Art at local Timberline Gallery, which amounts to a splendid collaboration between 16 artists and 16 local restaurants, resulting ...

By Leticia Juarez Sisson – OAKHURST – Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Central Valley (BBBS) celebrated last week at the Summer Splash at Yosemite High School for those who participated in this year’s program. The Big Brothers Big Sisters program in the Oakhurst area started in February and continues to unite their bigs and littles with a little summer ...

By Robin Ward – OAKHURST – The South County Colts is a travel baseball team managed by Mike Molina, Steve Gallegos and Pete Ramirez coaching. They were #1 in the nation as an AAA team and were moved to Majors this year. Since the move they are #6, but are working their way up quickly. The team is comprised mainly ...

AHWAHNEE – Alli Patterson is many things to many people. She’s a loving daughter, a protective sister, and a good friend. Alli is a student, a photographer, a writer, and an activist. If there’s one thing Alli knows how to do — and actually, there are lots — it’s express herself. “I express myself through everything I do: music, photography, ...