Justice Center officially opens
After spending the last few years in a dilapidated, 100-year-old building that was not sufficient for the inner-workings of the Madera County Probation Department and the Madera County District Attorney’s Office, the Madera County Justice Center officially opened last week to house both entities. “We were adjacent to the old superior court, which was an […]
Old Timers’ Day parade set for September 30
Madera County is gearing up for a nostalgic extravaganza as it announces the highly anticipated return of the 92nd Old Timers’ Day Parade. On Saturday, September 30, at 10 a.m., locals and visitors alike will gather to celebrate the rich history, cherished traditions, and vibrant community spirit that define Madera County. The Old Timers’ Day […]
Top golfer headed to York
For one of the best golfers to strike a ball for the Madera Coyotes, her college decision was between going to a school and not play golf and going to a school to play golf. Ultimately, Sydney Fernandez chose to play golf and continue a pipeline to York University in Nebraska. “I’m glad and blessed […]
Silva makes Torres history
By signing a National Letter of Intent to Keystone College in Pennsylvania, Matilda Torres Toros track athlete Ricardo Silva-Cardozo became the first athlete in school history to sign to a four-year school. “It felt great,” he said. “I started something at Torres. During that day of my signing, I had sophomores reach out to me […]
Jacob Smith wins wire-to-wire
Jacob Smith led wire-to-wire in the 100-lap Summer SpeedFest for the MAVTV-televised Lunkerdaddy Pro Late Models, winning the $5,000 prize on a hot evening at the Madera Speedway. Smith became the first repeat winner through six rounds of competition and remains squarely in the title fight with Tyler Herzog with three rounds to go after […]
Book Talk: Spindler, ‘The Detective’s Daughter’
Set in New Orleans, Erica Spindler’s latest blockbuster mystery, “The Detective’s Daughter” (2022, 395 pages in paperback format), centers on a crime that is the obsession of two generations of NOPD detectives: Rourke Connors and his daughter Quinn. Quinn’s mother died early, and her father trained her to be a detective from the time she […]
Shrimp — small, but delicious
Many years ago, I lived along the coasts of Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. I was fascinated by the abundance of fresh seafood. I remember a man that pulled a little wagon along the streets of Savannah Beach, selling bushel baskets of fresh, live oysters. Also, when the shrimp boats came in, you could […]
An adventure in Oaxaca
This story begins in Madera Unified School District with the creation of its “resident teacher program,” which grew out of the needs of the dual language project the district implemented in 2017. The adventure travels to Oaxaca, Mexico and then back home; for some, however, that was a problem. It wasn’t really clear where home […]