CLOVIS – To cap off the year-long celebration of the 50th anniversary of the 1964 Wilderness Act, the U.S. Forest Service will participate in the 126th Rose Parade in Pasadena on Jan. 1st. “The Forest Service entry will be a celebration of the Wilderness Act, the historic role of packers in supporting wild land firefighters and other back country operations ...

OAKHURST – Early November at the Boys and Girls Club (BGC) was all about members being outside, enjoying the warm sun with the parachute on the field, playing sports and games, and even getting prizes!

If you have never visited a national wildlife refuge before, one of the fee-free days would be the perfect opportunity to see what you’ve been missing, like this sandhill crane at the Merced National Wildlife Refuge. Get outside and enjoy some of the country’s most magical places – America’s national wildlife refuges – and get free admission on these days ...

MADERA COUNTY – Late this afternoon, the Sheriff’s Office received a call about a suspicious U-Haul truck that appears to be canvassing neighborhoods, looking for packages left on doorsteps. The truck was seen at around noon on Monday, Dec. 15, on Little Lake Road in Oakhurst. According to the Sheriff’s Office, there were two white males inside the truck. One ...

The leaves had long dropped off of the deciduous trees, their colorful fall displays of reds and yellows long gone. But there are always some colors and shapes to reflect in the Merced River, no matter what the season is. We took a drive through Yosemite Valley to check out the reflections since the last storms raised the water level. ...

MARIPOSA – The Yosemite Area Audubon Society invites foothill residents and visitors to enjoy an evening of fun, adventure and entertainment with Matthew Matthiessen, a captivating storyteller and world-class photographer. Matthiessen will be hosting a stunning slide presentation on the birds of Peru. This program is a visual treat featuring many rare and colorful species, and will be presented at ...

MADERA COUNTY – Authorities are looking for man who burglarized Sears Home Store in Oakhurst. The unidentified man took off with more than $500 worth of stolen merchandise, in a vehicle reported stolen out of Fresno. According to reports, the unknown suspect backed his vehicle – a 1995 red 4-door Honda, license plate 6JEU094 – into a parking stall directly ...

YOSEMITE – Time for all-weather volunteers to suit up as Mountain Area Ski School (MASS) readies for the season with an instructor orientation, family ski swap, and instructor clinic day, all coming soon. MASS is currently looking for ski and snowboard instructors and support people to help out this season. No prior teaching experience is necessary, say organizers, since MASS ...

SIERRA NEVADA – The National Weather Service in Hanford has issued an urgent winter weather message for the Sierra Nevada from Yosemite to Kings Canyon and Tulare County Mountains. Travel in the higher elevations is said to be dangerous at this time.

Tioga Road had reopened after the last storm dropped some snow and we never know how long it will remain open in the late fall. We could hear Tioga Pass calling to us, so we headed over there to check out the old abandoned mining town of Bennettville, icy Mine Creek and 6 beautiful lakes to the north.