YOSEMITE – As the deadline for comment on the Merced River Plan approaches, concerned citizens are voicing their opinions with letters to the Park Superintendent. The comment period ends on Thursday, Apr. 18. Here is a comprehensive breakdown some of the concerns expressed by Wendy Brown-Barry and Kevin D. Barry in their letter to Don Neubacher.

AHWAHNEE – Mountain area women are invited to raise a glass and share dinner, stories and resources at this month’s meeting of Helping One Woman (HOW), at the Hitching Post, on Wednesday, Apr. 17, at 6 p.m. HOW is a nonprofit woman’s organization that meets monthly for an uplifting evening in honor of one deserving woman who receives the community’s ...

YOSEMITE – New outdoor art workshops and captivating live theater performances add to the richness and drama of a visit to spectacular Yosemite National Park. Among the art and theater programs for 2013 announced today by Yosemite Conservancy ,are a new opportunity to paint amid the ancient Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, a gripping performance of how African-American cavalryman patrolled ...

MADERA COUNTY – Sheriff John Anderson is honored to announce that Lieutenant Darin McMechan has graduated from the FBI National Academy Program at Quantico, Virginia. Lt. McMechan is a 26-year veteran of the Madera County Sheriff’s Office. For nearly three decades he has served the department in a number of highly skilled fields, among them, narcotics, SWAT, Search & Rescue, ...

NORTH FORK – A fire this morning in North Fork completely destroyed the home of Steve and Pam Payne on De Na Lane. The Paynes, who used to own the Mountain House Restaurant, live on the property along with Pam’s mother Victoria Monson. There are two homes on the parcel, and Victoria’s home survived intact, while Pam and Steve’s was ...

CALIFORNIA – Each year the American Red Cross honors “Real Heroes” at Red Cross chapters across the country. The benevolent acts of these heroes embody the true spirit of the mission of the Red Cross: prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies. In your darkest hour, a stranger comes to your rescue; the quick steps of a ...

BASS LAKE – A single vehicle accident near Bass Lake today sent first reponders packing up and down a very steep bank to rescue a woman trapped in her wrecked vehicle. At about 3:23 p.m. on Wednesday, Mar. 13, Donna Gould, 76, of Bass Lake, was eastbound on Road 222 just past Pettitt Drive in a 2005 Chevy Trailblazer. According ...

MADERA COUNTY – Even with the major reductions in staff and budget, the Madera County Sheriff’s Department reports that crime was down in most areas during 2012. Several staff positions were not funded in the current budget, and therefore the department lost two sergeants, one clerical position and 12 deputy sheriffs. These were in addition to three deputy positions eliminated ...

OAKHURST – The Children’s Museum of the Sierra (CMOS) is widely considered one of the area’s most popular assets, yet remains poised on a perilous financial precipice. Now, organizers seek community support to offer long term planning and solutions to benefit the museum and the communities it serves.

NORTH FORK – When Bob McKee returned home from work on Thursday, Jan. 24, he found his house had been broken into, his pickup stolen and his gate smashed as the thieves made their get-away from his property. Bob called SierraNewsOnline to get the word out, and we posted the story and the photo of his stolen truck on the ...