MADERA COUNTY – The Madera County Sheriff’s Office is holding open enrollment for teens between the ages 14 and 20, who may be interested in signing up for the department’s Explorer Program. The Explorer program teaches its members the basics, which include: Police radio techniques, patrol procedures, domestic calls, vehicle stops, bomb threat response, first emergency responder scenarios, arrest and ...

SIERRA NATIONAL FOREST – Just before 6 a.m. on Monday, July 28, the lookout on Shuteye Peak spotted a column of smoke rising from the area of Rock Creek Campground. Sierra Dispatch was notified and a call placed to Mark Smith, the day’s Duty Officer on the Bass Lake Ranger District. Smith made the trip from his home to the ...

NORTH FORK – Local Volunteer Fire Department Auxiliary member Ginger Foust is organizing a sign painting party before and after the Town Hall Meeting on Thursday night, to show the community’s appreciation for all the men and women fighting the French Fire.

NORTH FORK – It takes a village to support hundreds of firefighters battling thousands of acres of scorching flames, and that’s what has sprung up, literally overnight, at the Old Mill Site in North Fork. Nearly 1,700 firefighters, support staff, overhead and contractors are staged on the 135-acre compound managed by the North Fork Community Development Council, effectively doubling the ...

SIERRA NATIONAL FOREST – Unstable weather is expected in the area of the French Fire overnight, after lower temperatures and higher humidity throughout the day provided some welcome relief. Planners expect cloudy conditions with potential showers and thunderstorms tonight with light winds, which will be more erratic near any thunderstorms. So far an estimated 12,827 acres have been burned, and ...

MARIPOSA – Are you ready to rock on? The California State Mining and Mineral Museum is in the midst of a summer filled with fun activities the whole family can dig. For starters, stop by and see the famous Fricot Nugget of gold, now back on display in the vault area of the Museum, following security upgrades.

YOSEMITE – Firefighting efforts on the El Portal fire continue to go well, according to officials, who estimate the acreage at 4,689, with 89% containment. Crews are working to strengthen the containment line and are aggressively cooling hot spots near the fire’s perimeter.

YOSEMITE – Firefighters on the El Portal Fire made good progress today, completing a line around 78 percent of the fire. So far the fire has consumed 4,518 acres on the western edge of Yosemite and on the Stanislaus National Forest. Fire officials have also given an estimated containment date of Friday, Aug. 8 at midnight.

YOSEMITE – NatureBridge and Alcoa Foundation announced the 2014 NatureBridge Alcoa Scholars program. Twenty-four high school students were selected from more than 160 applicants from Alcoa communities around the world, representing 18 countries. This summer, these Scholars will participate in a 10-day program immersed in the wonder and science of Yosemite National Park while building connections with each other.

NORTH FORK – District 5 Supervisor Tom Wheeler has rescheduled his North Fork Town Hall meeting, originally set for Thursday, July 31. The new date will be Thursday, Aug. 7, from 6 to 8 p.m. The location remains the same, the North Fork Rancheria Community Center, 56900 Kuhugib Road. The Town Hall schedule for the rest of 2014 is the ...