NORTH FORK – “If we can’t find you, we can’t help you,” has long been the motto of those working to ensure everyone has a green reflective house number sign on their driveway. Students at North Fork School are now onboard with this mission, working with the North Fork Volunteer Fire Department Auxiliary (NFVFDA) to help first responders by selling ...

CATHEYS VALLEY – Small equine sanctuary Wayward Ponies’ Home is hosting the sixth annual Open House on Saturday, Feb. 21 from noon to 2 p.m. Wayward Ponies’ Home is a nonprofit, permanent sanctuary whose mission is to provide a home for a limited number of ponies and horses. The organization promotes compassionate care for all.

MARIPOSA – The new technology implemented by the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office proved its worth last night when it played a vital role in locating a missing, at-risk teen. During the evening of Thursday, Jan. 29, a 15-year-old autistic boy was reported missing by his parents. The boy was last seen at the Mariposa County High School where he is ...

COARSEGOLD – You never know how far a little kindness will go. It started with a simple post on Mountain Swap and turned into something bigger than anyone could have imagined. Not long before dark on Wednesday, Jan. 21, business owners down at Coarsegold Village were shocked and saddened to find a badly injured dog tucked into a planter that ...

MARIPOSA COUNTY – When Linus the cat went missing last Friday off Harris Road in Ponderosa Basin, her owner Patrick looked everywhere for his beloved pet, but to no avail. Then, on Monday night he began hearing her cries, but in the dense fog, he was unable to locate where the sounds were coming from. Today, he was finally able ...

MOUNTAIN AREA – Besides the stunning natural beauty of the foothills, another valuable resource is locally abundant: the volunteer spirit. We asked SNO readers on Facebook to help us compile a list of volunteer opportunities, and heard from schools, churches, law enforcement, libraries, theaters, campgrounds and more. Here are volunteer positions from which to choose; the list is updated frequently.

OAKHURST – Sheriff John Anderson was honored today by a room full of Citizens on Patrol (COPs) Volunteers – one of many programs he created as Sheriff, and one of numerous programs for which he will be best remembered when he retires next month. Forty volunteers surprised Sheriff Anderson with private farewell luncheon at El Cid in Oakhurst.

MOUNTAIN AREA – Someone you love is suffering chest pains and is in need of immediate medical attention. You call 911 and anxiously await the arrival of paramedics. Every single minute counts, and could be the difference between life and death. But how much precious time could be lost if emergency responders can’t find your house? It may seem a ...

YOSEMITE – The men and women at Yosemite Search and Rescue (YOSAR) ask that visitors to Yosemite National Park take extra care to avoid becoming someone who needs to be rescued. On Tuesday, Sept. 2, the Yosemite Emergency Communications Center received a cell phone call from a hiker on the Yosemite Falls Trail requesting help for a member of the ...

OAKHURST – Animal lovers are a distinctive breed, and with pet ownership in the United States having more than tripled since the 1970s, the most recent estimates suggest that about 164 million households in the U.S. currently have pets. If you’re live in one of those households in the foothill area, you’ll be happy to know that the Bateman family ...