Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune Pastor Sammy Neely, right, presents Stanley Mackey with a certificate of appreciation, on behalf on Mackey’s father, Cpl. Wilson Mackey, who served in the military as a Buffalo Soldier. The presentation was made during the Juneteenth Celebration at Courthouse Park on June 17. In 1866, African American soldiers contemplated a question: they had fought and died in the Civil War. Now what? That same year, Congress contemplated a question, too.

Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune Liberty High graduates celebrate with streamers at the end of their commencement ceremony on May 31. Liberty High School graduated 128 students during commencement ceremonies on May 31. Victoria Joy Alvey, Emilio Amezcua De Jesus, Caleb G Arter Jamie Avellaneda, Carolina N Becerra, Jenna Katherine Biechler, Izaya Dakota Blancett, Frankie Leigh Booker, Ayden Chase Bounds, Kaley Jordyn Bowe, Katelyn Renae Browne, Jakson Cole Bucher, Nicholas S

Tyler Takeda/The Madera Tribune Liberty High School’s Skyler Hartley delivers the valedictorian address during LHS Commencement Ceremonies on May 31. Hartley will next attend the Air Force Academy. Liberty High School is on the brink of starting another annual tradition with its graduates. For the second year in a row, the school will have a graduate attend a military academy. Valedictorian Skyler Hartley is set to attend the Air Force Academy. Hartley followed in the footste

Madera County Clerk Rebecca Martinez’s office made the results of the June 7 Primary election official earlier this week. There were 24,810 ballots cast of 71.961 registered voters for a 34 percent voter turnout. Kathy Rigby kept her huge lead for Judge of the Superior Court, Office 1. She won the election over Alaina Ybarra by doubling her vote total (15,517-7,057). Rigby received 68.74 percent of the vote. In what was a tight County Assessor race early turned into a win by

For The Madera Tribune George Washington Mordecai. As the little town of Madera was growing up in the 19th century, several important politicians visited here. Presidents, former Presidents, and would-be Presidents met at Captain Mace’s hotel on the corner of E and Yosemite Avenue to begin a journey that would take them to the Big Trees and beyond. One of these was General Ulysses S. Grant, and before he left Madera, he met an old adversary that would one day become one of th

When I decided to make Madera my home 22 years ago, I knew two things about the city: the people were the friendliest of any city that I’d previously inhabited, and we were desperately in need of medical specialists. Madera has been changing over the past couple of decades, and the most recent additions have been three medical specialty offices in the E. Almond Avenue cluster, near Madera Community Hospital. Rao Dermatology Rao Dermatology is located at 457 East Almond Ave.,

It was a ploy, much like one first used in the modern era of California politics by the late Democratic U.S. Sen. Alan Cranston in his 1986 reelection bid. The tactic worked that time. But radio ads that hit California airwaves in large quantities during May, as the primary election approached, did not work this spring. The ads touted the state attorney general candidacy of previously little known Republican candidate Eric Early, the most conservative hopeful in the running a

Tyler Takeda/The Madera Tribune All-Madera Tribune recipients hold up their certificates and gift certificates from Perko’s Cafe and Grill, which is given to the top awardees. Madera’s Alexis Galvan, left, was named the Co-Pitcher of the Year while Erika Perez was the Most Valuable Player. Most Valuable Player Erika Perez Sr. 3B Madera All-League: County/Metro Athletic Conference Offensive Player of theYear Stats: .425 Ba, 23 runs, 31 hits, 10 2B, 3 3B, 5 HR, 25 RBI, 9 SB Per