Submitted by Sharon Donovan YOSEMITE – With the 150th anniversary of the Yosemite Grant Act coming up in June, and the summer travel season just around the corner, it’s time to check out some inspiring new books from Yosemite Conservancy. Due out in June, Yosemite in Pictures, by up-and-coming nature photographer Ryan Alonzo, is a sweet little gift book for ...

SIERRA NEVADA – The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory, in effect from 8 p.m. Saturday to 8 a.m. Sunday for the higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada. Snow accumulations of 6 to 10 inches are expected above 7,500 feet, with the snow level falling to 5,000 feet by late Sunday morning.

YOSEMITE – A fun family outing turned deadly last weekend when a Simi Valley teenager perished in the Merced River while trying to save his parents from the same fate in Yosemite National Park. Ranger Scott Gediman confirmed that Walter Gonzales Jr., 17, died from drowning on Sunday, Mar. 23.

Symphonic Yosemite?What’s the orchestral sound of Yosemite? That was the dilemma facing Les Marsden, Founder and Conductor of the Mariposa Symphony Orchestra. But to him, the answer was as obvious as looking at the iconic Tunnel View profile of Yosemite Valley.

YOSEMITE – With a grant from the Northern and Central California Region of the Wells Fargo Foundation, Yosemite National Park educational partner NatureBridge has announced it will offer scholarship funding for high school students in Madera and other counties in California’s foothills and Central Valley. The scholarships are for a two-week backcountry science expedition in Yosemite National Park.

YOSEMITE – The National Park Service (NPS) is pushing back against Congressman Tom McClintock’s efforts to rename a peak in Yosemite National Park in honor of an ardent preservationist and wife of early California explorer John C. Frémont. Last week, the House Natural Resources Committee approved H.R. 1192, authored by McClintock, which would rename Mammoth Peak, designating it as “Mount ...

YOSEMITE – Yosemite National Park is planning a prescribed fire in the Hetch Hetchy area, near O’Shaughnessy Dam. Ignition and active burning will take place on Monday, Mar. 24, at about 8 a.m. Firefighters plan to burn a total of 57 acres over a two day period. Due to minimal snowpack and rain, this is an ideal timeframe for prescribed ...

Valley View – Yosemite Trails, Currents, and Visions is a Sierra Art Trails Event, that will run Apr. 5 through May 4, at Stellar Gallery, Gallery Row, 40982 Highway 41 in Oakhurst. There will be special reception on Saturday, Apr 12, from 4 to 8 p.m. The deadline for artists to submit their work is Mar. 10. “Valley View – ...

YOSEMITE – Yosemite National Park is planning a prescribed fire in the Hetch Hetchy area, near the O’Shaughnessy Dam. The fire is planned for mid to late March and will include a total of 57 acres. Ignition and active burning will take approximately one to two days and a few additional days to patrol and monitor until the end of ...

YOSEMITE – Trekking to one of Yosemite National Park’s secret spots on the summer solstice, exploring areas within the park affected by last year’s Rim Fire, and photographing rainbows at night created by waterfalls are among the nearly 50 Outdoor Adventures for 2014 unveiled by Yosemite Conservancy.