MADERA COUNTY – Following are details from the Madera County Sheriff’s Office of reports taken locally from Monday, Jan. 9 to Sunday, Jan. 15, 2017: Oakhurst fraud On Monday, Jan. 9 at 9:38 a.m. a deputy received a report of the unlawful use of a bank access information in the 49000 block of River Park Road. Report taken. Raymond welfare check ...

OAKHURST – Recent activity at the historic Mountain House has been underway for about a month and many are curious about what’s going on with this beloved landmark. General contractor Steve Gabbard, owner of Oakhurst-based Sun Construction, spoke with Sierra News Online (SNO) and was happy to share that construction and restoration of the Mountain House is back underway after ...

MADERA COUNTY — The Madera Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services is happy to announce that all evacuation warnings for Madera County related to the recent flood activity are officially lifted. North Fork residents were advised to be prepared to evacuate on Sunday evening, Jan. 8, and in the early hours of Monday morning, a mandatory evacuation order was sent out ...

YOSEMITE — Yosemite Ski and Snowboard Area, formerly Badger Pass, including the Nordic Center, opens on Saturday, Jan. 14. The Day Lodge, rentals and food service will all open at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday. Lifts are open 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. A courtesy shuttle is offered daily to and from Yosemite Valley lodges and the Yosemite Ski and Snowboard Area.. Snow ...

COARSEGOLD — A handful of teenagers have fortunately survived a river adventure that ended in a cold water rescue. At approximately 6 p.m., emergency crews were dispatched to reports of four teens in the water after an incident in the Fresno River just off Road 400, about one-quarter mile south of Yosemite Springs Parkway. According to the Madera County Sheriff’s Office, ...

YOSEMITE – The first free-admission day to Yosemite National Park this year is on Monday, Jan. 16, in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. In honor of the day, the United States Department of the Interior has declared all entrance fees for all public lands be waived. Yosemite has experienced an abundance of snowfall already this year throughout the ...

EL PORTAL — The El Portal Road (Highway 140) into Yosemite National Park has reopened to all traffic following a rockfall that occurred during early Sunday morning. The road is anticipated to stay open, with controlled traffic, throughout the day. However, the road will close this evening at 6 p.m. to all vehicular traffic based on weather and rockfall concerns. ...

YOSEMITE — Yosemite Valley will reopen for day-use visitors tomorrow morning, Jan.10, at 8 a.m., say park officials. There is no access to Yosemite Valley via the El Portal Road (Highway 140) due to a rockfall that occurred early this morning. There is no estimated day or time for the road to reopen. The Hetch Hetchy Road is also closed ...

NORTH FORK — Residents are now being evacuated from the lower-lying areas of North Fork as water levels continue to rise in both the north and south forks of Willow Creek. The north fork of Willow Creek runs through the concentrated, low-lying residential areas of North Fork, and is fed by Manzanita Lake, just below Bass Lake Dam. The south ...

To the Editor: The following will address Supervisor Tom Wheeler’s criticism of Dale Drozen and his DOG Report: Many feel that Supervisor Wheeler’s comments regarding Dale Drozen’s retirement income are inappropriate, irrelavant, suggestive of pension-envy and unbecoming of a representative of the people. However, many would agree with the Supervisor’s statement that most cities and counties, throughout our Country, are ...