Guest Commentary by Max Stauffer – The Merced River Plan has many elements that will drastically affect the way in which visitors will be able to access and enjoy traditional recreational activities. The National Park Service has presented its “preferred alternative” which calls for removing the swimming pools at Yosemite Lodge and the Ahwahnee Hotel, removing bicycle rentals, day horse- ...

OAKHURST – A new museum showcasing the cuddly side of history opens in Oakhurst this Friday. The Teddy Bear Museum of the Sierra showcases a collection of antique bears as well as the history of the Teddy Bear starting in 1902. “There are over 250 bears on display, and these will be continuously changing,” said Toni Lagunoff, one of the ...

As a rookie at the American Red Cross, I was only a week out of disaster relief training before one of the largest storms in recent history devastated the East Coast. Hurricane Sandy was unlike any other weather phenomenon, affecting 24 states from Florida to Maine. 8 million homes lost power only to have winter storm Athena come through right ...

YOSEMITE – Yosemite National Park announces the release of two Wild and Scenic River Comprehensive Management Plan Draft Environmental Impact Statements for the Merced River (MRP) and the Tuolumne River (TRP) for public review and comment. The public comment period for the MRP is open now through Thursday, Apr. 18. The public comment period for the TRP is open now ...

Submitted by Dave Wolin It may not seem like it, but we live in a dangerous area. At any moment, the Long Valley Caldera and Mammoth Mountain could explode, decimating Central California. We’re only 100 miles from the San Andreas fault; a major earthquake could destroy most of Madera County. A fire like the Harlow Fire of 1961 could wipe ...

Guest Column submitted by Len Mckenzie OAKHURST – “The Times They Are A-Changin’,” wrote Bob Dylan–and, indeed, they are. They always have, of course, and those words continue to ring true today. The only constant in nature, it’s been said, is change, and survival requires adapting to it.

Guest Column written by Richard Lehman – “Reservation shopping” and “off reservation casinos” are clever phrases used by opponents to vilify efforts by the North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians to acquire land for gaming purposes. Yet, an extensive eight year review by United States Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Indian Affairs spanning two administrations, and an ...

We may be far removed from the devastation of the massive storm along the eastern seaboard, but there are ways you can help. We want to provide residents of our mountain communities with information about things you can do to offer some assistance to those whose lives have been devasted by this storm. These are just some of the organizations ...

When Nikki Johnson’s parents told her that her rescue horse Indy couldn’t stay with them anymore, she was devastated. Nikki’s teacher encouraged her to write an essay about this very difficult situation, and Nikki wants to share it with everyone else. Here is her story.

Would you want to know if a wildfire or floodwaters were headed for your house? Even if you weren’t home?