When Mark Beyer graduated from Madera High School in 2001, he was looking forward to a baseball career at Fresno State.  Unfortunately, a freak injury ended his athletic career, but it hasn’t stopped him from moving on. He is currently a principal at Stone Creek Elementary School in the Golden Valley School District, and is in his 18th year in education. “25 years went by so fast,” he said.

For seven straight years, Alec Mehrten’s name was written in as the starting shortstop for his teams.  He spent three years at Madera, hitting from the bottom of the line-up and working his way to the lead-off spot while playing shortstop every game. After his playing days were over at Madera in 2008, Mehrten signed with Fresno Pacific University.  All Mehrten did at FPU was entrench himself as the starting shortstop from Day 1, and spent four years manning the No. 6 hole. He

There is a real problem today with persons not wanting to see the complete point of an issue. This is not new, but I believe it’s getting very much worse. Maybe this is because there is so much news available today and so many ways to see it. And also, most of the news is slanted towards the viewer or reader, the customer, who is looking for it. This increases the viewership and readership, that increases the value for news service via the advertiser’s dollars.It also reflec

As we approach our nation’s 250th birthday, it’s worth reviewing the evolution of our revolution. Let’s briefly study the history of our two Americas: Wall Street vs. Main Street. In 1776, property-owning white men established the foundation of the American Dream: an America that was to achieve EQUALITY FOR ALL. Historically, we have taken two steps forward with one step backward. Those who carry the spirit of the Founding Fathers have helped Americans from the bottom up with

Greg Iles died a couple of months ago at the age of 65. He was born in Stuttgart, Baden-Wurttemberg, West Germany but lived his life in Natchez, Mississippi. He was one of the great American novelists to have obtained his college education at Ole Miss. And like many other best-selling authors (some in the Southern Tradition, some not) like humorist Dave Barry, Stephen King, Ridley Pearson, Amy Tan, James McBride, Mitch Albom, Scott Turow, Roy Blunt, and Matt Groening, he was

Thelmadatter, Wikimedia Commons Portuguese sweet bread is tender, light and irresistible. My family likes to make holiday breads, usually at Christmas time and Easter. This past Christmas, I had plans to make an Italian panettone yeast bread, enhanced with raisins, citrus peels and other aromatics. We also add pine nuts. I did not get to make any this time, because I came down with my first case (that I know of) of COVID-19. That pretty much took care of just about all of my

For The Madera Tribune William Saroyan. William Saroyan didn’t seem to need anyone’s approval. He almost never went to a college or university to speak because, as he said, “I can’t be bothered; it’s too much trouble and just a little silly.” However, on Jan. 27, 1977, he came to Madera High School to speak. Let me tell you how that came about. It just so happened that Brenda (Najimian) Magarity was teaching English and drama at Madera High, and it also just so happened that

Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune Cogir of Cedar Creek executive director Rob Huntley, holding scissors, is joined by representatives and presenters for a ribbon-cutting ceremony in honor of Cedar Creek’s 20 year anniversary celebration on January 16. It was a chilly, foggy afternoon as people gathered at the front entrance of Cogir of Cedar Creek to celebrate its 20th anniversary last week. Debi Bray, President and CEO of Madera Chamber of Commerce welcomed all to this gran