COUNTY — The Madera County Sheriff’s Office just completed their second annual Explorer Academy with 32 Explorers participating, including candidates from the Madera County Fire Explorers, Fresno Sheriff Explorers, Madera Police Department Explorers, and Madera Sheriff Explorers. This four day academy is designed to provide a basic foundation for a career in law enforcement. With these graduates having completed the ...

OAKHURST – It’s going to be difficult to contain the excitement on Saturday, Dec. 5, as kids and their grown-ups are invited to attend Breakfast with Santa at the Community Center, followed by Secret Santa Shopping at the Children’s Museum of the Sierra, and wrapping up the day with the Oakhurst Community Christmas Tree Lighting and ensuing festivities. Kiwanis-sponsored Breakfast ...

Edgar A. Wilkins “Ed” at age 83 passed on Monday, November 30th surrounded by family. Ed was born on December 25, 1931, in Sacramento, CA, and at an early age his parents moved the family to Fresno, both chemists, to work for Twining Laboratories. He attended Heaton Elementary, Hamilton Jr. High and Fresno High School. After his father passed away ...

MARIPOSA — Defenders of Wildlife, a national conservation organization founded in 1947, has a singular mission: “…the protection of all native animals and plants in their natural communities.” Dedicated solely to wildlife and habitat conservation and to safeguarding North America’s biodiversity, Defenders holds a vision of diverse wildlife populations that are “…secure and thriving, sustained by a network of healthy ...

CLOVIS – The Bass Lake Ranger District, Sierra National Forest, is preparing to implement the fall/winter burning program, says Acting District Ranger Denise Tolmie. Projects will consist of two activities: pile burning and broadcast burning. “The objective of burning is to reintroduce low intensity fire to the ecosystem,” said Tolmie. “Prior to European settlement, lightning and Native Americans provided ignition ...

AHWAHNEE – Once again, the Coolwater Ranch plays host to a pair of top-flight musicians. Passes are now available for the next show, set for Saturday, Nov. 21, at 7 p.m. Stevie Coyle (late of the whiz-bang string band The Waybacks) is one lucky bum. His dad ran a radio station in southern California and brought home all the promo ...

MOUNTAIN AREA – Time to get those little pumpkins all dressed up, revved up and sugared up, because the spookiest of times is coming this weekend on Halloween. Here’s what’s going on locally for Saturday, Oct. 31: Everyone in the family will have something fun to do at the Bass Lake Craft Fair and Trick-or-Treat, happening from 10 a.m. to ...

AHWAHNEE – Coolwater Ranch House Concerts is pleased announce the return of Tim and Myles Thompson, musicians extraordinaire, on Saturday, Oct. 24, at 7 p.m. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, this father-son act features Fingerstyle Guitar Champion Tim Thompson and composer-instrumentalist/singer Myles Thompson. The Thompsons are known for their high-energy instrumental and vocal duets of improvised originals and classics reminiscent of ...

MOUNTAIN AREA – You go for a walk in the forest hoping for a peaceful sojourn through tall trees, with picturesque pine-needle paths leading to a cedar-scented paradise where you contemplate the treasures of nature. Instead, you’re tripping over old tires, making your way through broken-down refrigerators, busted air conditioners, televisions, and “just about anything you can think of.” You’ve ...

Submitted by Diane Mello – MADERA COUNTY – It was 1993, and Nancy Clute had an idea, the realization of which became legendary. Nancy was one of the founders of the Madera County Arts Council and served as its executive director until her death in 2002. Her concept was to combine her passion for and love of art with this ...