Madera County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a reported copper wire theft in progress involving agricultural equipment.  Local farmers on scene interrupted the theft and immediately contacted MCSO on January 5.  The farmers prevented the suspects’ vehicle from leaving before deputies arrived.

For The Madera Tribune An illegally manufactured ghost gun is seized during a probation search over the weekend. Madera Police Department Officers Tristan Okpalaugo and Trent Herzog responded to a robbery in the area of Rush Street and Dellavalle Avenue.  During the investigation Saturday, a 16-year-old suspect was identified, leading to a probation search of the juvenile’s residence.   During the search, officers located, and seized, a 3D printer and an illegally manufacture

For The Madera Tribune Hard work by Madera firefighters saved lives when the Alta Hotel burned in 1931. As Maderans neared the end of the 1920s, they were full of optimism. Prospects of oil wells on the outskirts of town danced in the heads of some local capitalists, while others dreamed of raising the funds to build a brand new, four-story hotel on Yosemite Avenue. In the end, however, both schemes failed, and the town entered the 1930s rather tentatively as the nation’s eco

E. Lockhart’s “We Fell Apart” (2025, 305 pages in hardback format) is promoted as a YA (Young Adult) novel, but it’s really appropriate for any age, even younger teens as it is devoid of “adult” language and sex. Like the other YA books that I’ve reviewed over the years, it’s just a good story, well written. This is book #3 in Lockhart’s “Liar” series, but it’s a stand-alone.Fans of her previous books will remember the Sinclair family, but the aristocratic members are only p

Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune Madera South’s Giselle Mendoza drives in for a layup after a steal during Friday’s victory over the Central Grizzlies. Mendoza was one of 10 Stallions to score in the 41-17 win. It took some time, but the Madera South Stallions finally wore down the short-handed Central Grizzlies for a 41-17 victory to open North Yosemite League play.  The two teams were tied at nine in the second quarter before the Stallions scored 15 straight points into t

In his recent letter to the Tribune, Madera resident Chuck Wieland seems proud to announce that, in 2025, 43 percent of recent immigrants are college graduates, as opposed to just 29 percent of native-born Americans. He also brags that 45 percent of Fortune 500 companies were founded by “immigrants and their children.” He seems to believe that this somehow justifies the four-year invasion of 10 to 20 million illegal immigrants into the country. The point Mr. Wieland did not a

Frank Bigelow, a lifelong Madera County rancher, volunteer firefighter, and dedicated public servant, officially announced that he is running for the Madera County Board of Supervisors in the 5th District. Born and raised in O’Neals, Bigelow manages his family’s multi-generation cattle ranch, giving him a deep and practical understanding of the challenges facing local agriculture, small businesses, and rural families. His decades of service include previous tenure on the Made

The Republic of Venezuela is a petroleum-rich country on the northeast coast of South America. In addition to its continental landmass, it has many islands and islets. In 1498, Columbus sailed into the Gulf of Paria and marveled at the immensity of the Orinoco River and its clear water. Spain began colonizing the territory in 1522, establishing a settlement in the present-day city of Cumaná. In 1811, Francisco de Miranda, who had fought for the colonies during the American Re