Break-in calls lead to fatality
The Madera County Sheriff’s Office received multiple calls reporting subjects breaking into vehicles in the area of El Vado Drive and Avenue 18 1/2. Deputies responded to the area Sunday morning at about 1 a.m., and found a vehicle matching the description provided by callers. The vehicle immediately fled at a high rate of speed. […]
Night shift officer makes arrest
During the Valentine’s Day night shift, Officer Tyler Aldecoa responded to the 600 block of South Street after a citizen reported a subject spray painting a residential fence. Upon arrival, Officer Aldecoa located, and attempted to contact 19-year-old Brayan Pacheco, who matched the description provided by the witness. When Officer Aldecoa approached, Pacheco immediately fled […]
Scam alert: Kidnapping and ransom phone calls
The Madera Police Department and other law enforcement agencies are seeing an increase in scam calls designed to create fear and panic within the community. This rise appears to be linked, in part, to the widespread media coverage surrounding the Nancy Guthrie missing person case. In this latest scheme, scammers are contacting residents and falsely […]
Be prepared with the storm
The Madera County Sheriff’s Office wants to remind everyone to take the weather seriously and prioritize safety above all else. Small preparations today can make a big difference in ensuring your safety during a storm. Here are some tips to be prepared. Stay Informed: Keep up-to-date with weather alerts and advisories through the Madera Sheriff […]
Coyotes climb D2 mountain
In the storied history of Madera Coyote wrestling, there has been one thing missing for the past 35 years — a section championship. The 2026 Madera Coyotes wrestling climbed the mountain to win the Div. II Central Section Championship on Saturday at Clovis East High School. “It’s pretty nice. It was hard because we were […]
Toros come back for playoff win
The Liberty Hawks boys basketball team secured a double-digit second quarter lead over the Matilda Torres Toros in the first round of the Div. V Central Section playoffs. However, the 12th seeded Toros outscored the fifth-seeded Hawks 38-25 in the second half to record a 58-52 first round victory Friday at Liberty. The Toros shot […]
Stallions easily win Div. III
Although the Madera South Stallions claimed one champion in the Div. III Central Section Wrestling tournament at Edison, the rest of the team did enough for the Divisional Championship, a first for Madera South. “I knew going into the finals. The team that was closest to us only had two guys in the finals,” head […]
Shooting woes hurt Hawks
The Liberty Hawks girls basketball team held a fourth quarter lead, but let it slip away in the first round of the Div. VI Central Section playoffs. The 11th seeded Orosi Cardinals didn’t play good Valentine’s Day guests Saturday in a 41-35 overtime victory over the sixth-seeded Hawks. However, the Hawks didn’t help themselves by […]
Letters: Downtown Madera is an embarrassment
My wife and I will be celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary this year over two nights in Madera and Oakhurst. Numerous family members from out-of-state will celebrate with us. I won’t be taking them through downtown Madera. It’s an embarrassment. Given our 48-year history in this community, they would understandably ask, “why do you live […]
Book Talk: Margolin, ‘A Matter of Life and Death’
This is the fourth book in the Robin Lockwood series, but — like the other three — it can easily be read as a stand-alone novel. Usually, I recommend reading series in order, but Margolin is different from many other “series” authors. You can pick up any one of his books and enjoy it without […]