H.O.P.E. Ministries help those in need
The H.O.P.E. (Help Our People Eat) Ministry of Madera gave out meals and clothing to those in need at the Madera Courthouse Park on December 28. The event was organized by Dora Avila and Richard Torres more than nine years ago, and has been continued regularly ever since by its members. Unfortunately, Torres passed away […]
Unusual traffic stop in Madera County
In one of the weirdest stops in probably the history of the Madera California Highway Patrol department, a spider monkey, approximately one-month old, was confiscated during a traffic stop on Monday. A CHP Madera officer stopped a Rolls Royce Ghost going northbound on State Route 99, just north of Avenue 17 for excessive speed. The […]
Domestic disturbance leads to homicide
Madera Police Department received a call from a concerned citizen regarding a male and female fighting at a resident in the 500 block of South D Street on December 27 just after 3 p.m. When officers arrived at the residence, they contacted 24-year-old Fabiola Frias Sanchez and 35-year-old Victor Amaro. The two were involved in […]
Road rage leads to shooting
Merced Communications Center received a call from a passing motorist of two vehicles road raging, in the area of northbound SR-99 and Avenue 12 on December 27 at about 5 p.m. A party in one of the involved vehicles also called 9-1-1, and reported her vehicle had been shot by someone in the other involved […]
Chain reaction crash closes SR 99
A big rig hauling a trailer was traveling south on State Route 99, south of Avenue 12 in the No. 1 lane during midday traffic on December 23. The big rig failed to see stopped traffic ahead and collided with a Toyota Tacoma, which was slowing for stopped traffic. The Tacoma was pushed forward into […]
Arrest made for possession, distribution of child sexual abuse material
The Madera County Sheriff’s Office Investigations Bureau received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding distribution of child sexual abuse material activity in Madera County. Detectives identified 39-year-old Chowchilla resident Ralph Contreras Jr., a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation sergeant, as a suspect in the case. On Thursday, detectives, […]
Madera Unified wins Golden Bell Award
Madera Unified School District’s Classified Professional Development Committee (CPDC) was honored with the prestigious 2024 California School Boards Association (CSBA) Golden Bell Award on December 7, in Anaheim. The award celebrates the district’s exceptional Classified Conference, which fosters professional growth for classified staff and supports student success. Empowering Staff, Supporting Students Established in 2019, the […]
Long-time coach and athlete to receive official induction
In 2023, the Madera Athletic Hall of Fame held an unofficial induction ceremony during its annual golf tournament in May to honor the legacy of Hank “The Hawk” Hernandes for his long-time contributions to the coaching ranks in Madera, as well as his athletic prowess. Unfortunately, Hernandes passed away late in 2023 before he could […]
Torres fine tunes with victory
After winning its own Cen-Cal Tournament for the second year in a row, and taking a Christmas break, the Matilda Torres Toros girls basketball team kept their edge with a dominating 59-15 victory over the McLane Highlanders last Friday at Torres. The Toros held the Highlanders scoreless in the second quarter and jumped out to […]
Opinion: Spirit animals and birth stones
Many people believe that they have spirit animals. I think these are analogous to guardian angels. Both are believed to protect you from harm and to offer assistance when needed. Other omens, like precious stones and even flowers, offer similar benefits. Here’s a month-by-month list. January Your spirit animal may be an alligator, elephant shrew, […]