MOUNTAIN AREA — An easy-going group of like-minded, ultra-competent individuals, the Sierra Freepackers unit of the Back Country Horsemen of California (BCHCSFP) is comprised of a small but committed unit of volunteers, currently 50 members strong. Despite their moderate size, the group consistently ranks among the highest per capita for volunteer hours in trail maintenance, public awareness and education, logging ...

YOSEMITE – Visitors to Yosemite National Park will now be able to purchase their park entrance passes electronically through YourPassNow beginning on Thursday, June 21. Once visitors purchase and save their digital pass to their cell phone, or print and bring their purchased pass with them, Rangers will scan their pass at the entrance station. This convenient new service will ...

MADERA COUNTY– Following are details from the Madera County Sheriff’s Office of reports taken locally from Monday, June 11 to Sunday, June 17, 2018. North Fork traffic stop, warrant arrest and citation On Monday, June 11 at 1:09 a.m. a vehicle stop on Road 200 near Wyle Ranch Road in North Fork led to an warrant arrest and subsequent cited ...

MARIPOSA – Firefighters continue to make good progress on the Boyer Fire, which is burning in the Bootjack area of Mariposa County. It is now 75 percent contained and more accurate mapping now estimates it at 53 acres. The fire started yesterday just after 1:30 p.m. at the end of Boyer Road and forced evacuations in the Lush Meadows area. ...

MARIPOSA – Crews made good progress overnight on the Boyer Fire, which is burning in the Bootjack area of Mariposa County. It is now 60 percent contained at an estimated 75 acres. The fire started yesterday just after 1:30 p.m. at the end of Boyer Road and forced evacuations in the Lush Meadows area. Residents were allowed to return home ...

BASS LAKE — What’s up for Independence Day? Up in the sky it’s professional fireworks and on the ground are festivities at Bass Lake — including the brilliant boat parade — plus friends, families and plenty of fun for this 4th of July hump-day holiday. The boat parade starts at 7 p.m. near the entrance to Willow Cove and moves ...

COARSEGOLD — For the third time in 18 months, traveling on Highway 41 in Madera County, Jennifer Christensen desperately needed a fire extinguisher. Coming home from Community Regional Medical Center, where she’s a registered nurse in the Emergency Department, Jennifer spotted black smoke pouring from a vehicle parked at Black Hawk Lodge. She saw flames coming from the hood. Immediately, ...

MADERA COUNTY– Following are details from the Madera County Sheriff’s Office of reports taken locally from Monday, June 4 to Sunday, June 10, 2018. Oakhurst missing juvenile On Monday, June 4 at 12:37 a.m. a deputy responded in regards to a runaway juvenile report. A report was written for documentation purposes and the juvenile was entered into the missing persons ...

06/16/2018 @ 9:30 am - 12:00 pm - Yosemite Audubon is hosting a field trip focusing on dragonflies on Saturday, June 16, at Ahwahnee Hills Regional Park on Hwy 49 just north of Wasuma Elementary School. Expert birder and dragonfly enthusiast Matthew Matthiessen will lead the outing. Meet at the AHRP parking lot at 9:00 a.m. We will walk approximately 1/2 mile to [...]

COARSEGOLD – The folks at the Yosemite Lakes Volunteer Fire Department have a great idea for Father’s Day – take your dad to breakfast at the Yosemite Lakes Park Clubhouse, and support Station 10 in the bargain. They will be serving up pancakes, eggs, sausage, OJ and coffee from 8 to 11 a.m. There will also be t-shirts and stickers, ...