Decorating in remembrance of a daughter
For the past 15 years, Coleen Spraggins has been decorating her house at 26458 Fonda Ave. for Halloween. The decorations have grown from year to year, and now include help from her daughter Skyla and son Jonathan. Spraggins said the outlandish Halloween decorations, complete with two gigantic black widow spiders in the front yard, numerous […]
State tests show slow growth
Results of California’s annual school report card for 2018-2019 have arrived, and the scores show Madera Unified continuing its incremental improvement that has been the case since the new assessment, which is taken online, was implemented in 2015. Students in grades 3-8 and in grade 11 took the English/Language Arts and Math tests on the […]
First 5 grants to help child development
The First 5 Madera County Commission on Oct. 4 approved $200,000 in investments to promote healthier lifestyles and optimal childhood development for children 0-5 years old in Madera County. Since releasing the 2020 Strategic Plan in June, First 5 has been searching for partner agencies to grant funds to impact the goals and objectives. Two […]
Hemp farmers get held up by gunslingers
A new trend in Fresno County has farmers using land to grow legal industrial hemp. However, would-be thieves are targeting these plants, thinking it is marijuana. Three such cases have been reported in the last two weeks. To the naked eye, it is difficult to distinguish a hemp plant from a marijuana plant. Not only […]
Outlaws and Lawmen: A tale to be told
On Monday, Oct. 14, Arbor Vitae Cemetery is going to be the scene of one of the most unusual gatherings in Madera’s History. One hundred fifty 8th graders from five different Madera schools are going to meet at the grave of William H. Thurman, the first sheriff of Madera County, to publicly launch their “Outlaws […]
Letter: Another reason for recalling the governor
Gov. A.E. Newman has chopped funding for highway projects. He is shifting the gas tax to HSR under the disguise of fighting global warming. Time to recall this bloomin’ idiot. Petitions are out there folks. We signed up. Have you? With 99 squeezed down, new development may have to be re-thunk. Madera wants to develop […]
Opinion: Getting a year older
Next week I will be celebrating the anniversary of my 29th birthday. In my six-plus decades, I have learned many things. I wish I knew as much now as I did when I was 14 years old. I knew everything back then. This being a grownup looked a lot different in the brochure. Can I […]
Madera sweeps into first place
The Madera Coyotes girls volleyball team faced a struggling Edison-Fresno team and quickly finished the job. The Coyotes led most of the way against the Tigers, winning 3-0 at home on Tuesday. Madera head coach Meghan Haas was happy with her team’s ability to come out focused against an inferior team. “Right now we’re in […]
Stallions drop first CMAC game
The Madera South Stallions girls volleyball team had a chance to take control of the County/Metro Athletic Conference, but couldn’t fight back in a three-set loss to the San Joaquin Memorial-Fresno Panthers to close out the first round of league. After winning their first four matches of the CMAC, including a five-set victory over the […]