MADERA COUNTY – Deputy Sheriff Richard Gonzales was honored by his peers for the third time as Officer of the Year during Madera County’s annual Law Enforcement Appreciation banquet held at the Elk’s Lodge in Madera on Thursday, July 25. Sheriff John Anderson proudly introduced Deputy Gonzales as Madera County Sheriff’s Deputy of the Year. “It’s unprecedented,” noted Sheriff Anderson ...

OAKHURST – “Wild Fire” will be the topic of the Aug. 9 dinner and program at Friday Nights at Fresno Flats. Jeff May, a volunteer fire spotter and coordinator of all the fire lookouts, will present a computer slide story showing how volunteers work to “Keep the fires small,” protecting our valley from devastating fire destruction.

Submitted by Grace Community Church NORTH FORK – Grace Community Church is inviting everyone to attend a special musical event with David Haas the weekend of Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 21 and 22 at the UCC Church in North Fork. David Haas, a Minnesota resident, is director of the Emmaus Center for Music, Prayer and Ministry, and is founder of ...

The Wawona Friends of the Bassett Memorial Library are hosting a reception for local artist, Eve Davidson on Sunday, July 28, 2013 at 7 p.m. in the library. A painter since her teen years, Eve is inspired by people and nature. For Eve, art is a visual story of things that gladden or worry the heart, an expression of self, ...

AHWAHNEE – Passes are now available for the latest house concert at the Coolwater Ranch in Ahwahnee on Saturday, Aug. 17, presented as a labor of love by Robin Ralston. Two of the world’s finest guitarists – Todd Hallawell and Robin Kessinger – blend their music, their talent and their stories of performing on the road and around the world ...

OAKHURST – District 5 Supervisor Tom Wheeler will hold his next town hall meeting on Thursday, July 25, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Oakhurst Community Center, 39800 Road 425B. Discussion topics will include: – Presentation of grant check by PG&E to the Oakhurst Community Center – Public outreach by the Madera County Building Department on the Americans with ...

OAKHURST – Ballroom dancing is back and better than ever on the second Friday of each month. That means it’s time to get out of the house and “extend those lines” as they say on television’s popular dance show. Starting Aug. 9, the Elks Lodge is the place to go for dinner followed by a professionally taught ballroom dance lesson ...

NORTH FORK – Over 40 classic car owners proudly displayed their prized possessions all along North Fork’s main street on Friday evening during the first annual Collector Car Cruise-In. It turned out far better than we even imagined,” said Scott Marsh, North Fork Chamber of Commerce president, owner of Slim’s Koffee Shak and event organizer.

OAKHURST – The Yosemite Sierra Visitors Bureau will host local author Marcia Penner Freedman, who will share stories from her newly-published Willow Creek History: Tales of Cow Camps, Shake Makers & Basket Weavers. Freedman will be at the visitors center from 2 to 3:30 pm on Saturday, July 20. There will be copies of her book for sale, and she ...

AHWAHNEE – The nonprofit women’s group Helping One Woman (HOW) is meeting on Wednesday, July 17, at the Hitching Post Restaurant to honor Coarsegold resident Heather Wilbour. The evening of food, fundraising and friendship begins at 6 p.m. Heather’s husband Shawn “Wilby” Wilhour died following a heart attack while on vacation at Redinger Lake the day before Father’s Day.