Contributed by Len McKenzie — Californians, particularly in rural areas such as the Sierra foothills, are generally familiar with the pleasures and the challenges of living with wildlife. While viewing animals at close range, especially species not commonly seen, is usually exciting, some critters who live or venture close to our homes can become “problem” animals or nuisances, and occasional ...

FISH CAMP — Caltrans anticipates Highway 41 north of Fish Camp will remain closed in both directions for the rest of the week and into next week. Click on images courtesy of Caltrans to enlarge. The closure is located north of the town of Fish Camp and south of the turnoff to Mt. Raymond Road. The Tenaya Lodge is still ...

OAKHURST — During the month of January 2017 Sullivan’s Tire Pros in Oakhurst raised funds to support the Eastern Madera County SPCA. For each Bridgestone, Firestone, Continental and General tire sold, Sullivan’s Tire Pros made a donation, supporting the goal of the Eastern Madera County SPCA to place animals in forever homes. This morning, Mike and Diane Sullivan presented a ...

MADERA COUNTY — Perhaps the most often-asked question to Sierra News Online concerns accidents on Highway 41 — how many occur each year, and how many are DUI related? The California Highway Patrol in Sacramento provided us with accident statistics from Jan. 1, 2011 through Dec. 31, 2015, for the Highway 41 corridor from Highway 145 to Fish Camp. We ...

CENTRAL SIERRA – Anyone taking to the mountain highways over the weekend should avoid any unwanted delays by making sure there are traction devices in their vehicle. Chain control is now in place on Highway 41 from three miles north of Coarsegold (the bottom of Deadwood) to Yosemite National Park (R2 – see below). The location could change as conditions warrant. ...

CENTRAL SIERRA — The National Weather Service office in Hanford has issued a Winter Storm Warning for the southern Sierra Nevada from Yosemite National Park to the Tulare-Kern County Line. Over one foot of new snow accumulations can be expected above 7,000 feet. Snow levels will start high around 8,000 feet at the storm’s onset early Wednesday afternoon, but will ...

CENTRAL SIERRA — Bird lovers, photographers and anyone interested in the enjoying the variety of bird species in the Central Sierra are invited to join the National Audubon Society’s 117th Christmas Bird Count (CBC). The CBC is an annual international bird census that began on Christmas Day in 1900, and now takes place in more than 1,500 locations throughout the ...

OAKHURST — At times, driving appears to be relatively easy, but is in fact a complex skill that may diminish as a person ages. The ability to drive safely is affected by changes in one’s physical and mental conditions. Many of these changes take place as we get older, though in different ways and at different times. To address these ...

YOSEMITE — Yosemite National Park will host a series of workshops to engage the public in the formulation of alternatives for the park’s Wilderness Stewardship Plan. The workshops will focus on two of the more complex issues to be addressed in the Plan—visitor use and capacity and stock use. At these workshops, the planning team will share preliminary concepts for ...

OAKHURST – The Oakhurst Office of the California Highway Patrol invites the community to be part of “National Night Out,” an annual event meant to bring together law enforcement officers, first responders, and the communities they serve in an informal setting. The festivities will take place in the parking lot of the old Blockbuster store in the Old Mill Shopping ...