MARIPOSA – A familiar “landmark” at the Mariposa Fairgrounds is back in service due to the generous contributions of local citizens. The rain storms and flash floods that ravaged Mariposa County in March 2018 completely disabled the highly visible marquee sign at the fairgrounds on Highway 49. For over a decade that marquee had been a key communication device for ...

MADERA – In honor of National Volunteer Appreciation Week, the Madera County Sheriff’s Office will be highlighting their Citizens on Patrol (COP) volunteers throughout the week. In 2018, the Sheriff’s Office COP program boasted 42 total volunteers – 27 in the mountain division and 17 in the valley division. Collectively, COPs participated in over 30 events and completed over 100 ...

MADERA – If you have not yet signed up to be notified in the event of a fire, flood or other emergency, now is the time to register. It is free and it’s important, not only for your safety but for the safety of first responders. On Wednesday, May 1, at around 10 a.m., Madera County’s Emergency Alert System (MCAlert) ...

SACRAMENTO – The Department of Water Resources (DWR) today conducted the fourth Phillips Station snow survey of 2019. The manual survey recorded 106.5 inches of snow depth and a snow water equivalent (SWE) of 51 inches, which is 200 percent of average for this location. Statewide, the Sierra Nevada snowpack is 162 percent of average. California has experienced more than ...

MOUNTAIN AREA — The National Weather Service (NWS) in Hanford says heavy mountain snow is expected starting late Tuesday afternoon, Mar. 26 and continuing through late Wednesday night, Mar. 27. One to two feet is possible above 5,000 feet, with amounts approaching three feet above 8,000 feet. Very gusty winds are also predicted in the high country above 7,000 feet. ...

NORTH FORK – On Feb. 21, the North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians of California officially adopted their Tribal Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan, approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The approval of this plan ensures that the North Fork Rancheria continues to be eligible for project grants under FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Assistance programs, including Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, Pre-Disaster ...

MOUNTAIN AREA — The National Weather Service in Hanford has issued a Hydrologic Outlook for heavy rainfall and a threat of flooding next week, as new storms impact the Central California interior during the next seven days. There’s also a Winter Storm Warning for snow in the Sierra Nevada above 7,000 feet. Either way, there will be water this week. ...

I needed a break from snow, ice and cold so I headed down the hill to warm up with a hike along Hensley Lake. A rolling hilly hike while walking through history, white puffy clouds and the first wildflowers of spring welcomed me. Where: Hensley Lake, Army Corps of Engineers Distance: 6.95 Miles Difficulty: Easy to Moderate, depending on how ...

By Brian David —  California’s Mediterranean climate of short, wet winters and long, dry summers sustains more diverse foliage than any other of the 49 states. For California’s commercial agriculture and home gardening, however, capturing water is crucial. We channel surface runoff from watersheds, diverting water into reservoirs and dams and direct the flow and delivery of water through aqueducts ...

FRESNO — Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) is cautioning those who live or work near rivers and streams to be aware of higher flows brought on by recent rains and potentially spilling reservoirs. It is possible that PG&E’s Bass Lake/Crane Valley Dam will reach spill levels Wednesday or Thursday as heavy warm rains melt recent snowfall. Currently the water ...