My wife and I will be celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary this year over two nights in Madera and Oakhurst. Numerous family members from out-of-state will celebrate with us. I won’t be taking them through downtown Madera. It’s an embarrassment. Given our 48-year history in this community, they would understandably ask, “why do you live here?” My wife served as a Madera County probation officer, Madera County Family Court Services mediator, and Madera Unified School Distr

This is the fourth book in the Robin Lockwood series, but — like the other three — it can easily be read as a stand-alone novel. Usually, I recommend reading series in order, but Margolin is different from many other “series” authors. You can pick up any one of his books and enjoy it without references to previous works. In “A Matter of Life and Death” (2021, 312 pages in hardback) Philip Margolin bridges the gap between the MMA (mixed-martial arts) scene and courtroom drama.

I’ve stated in a few of my letters in the past that the Republican Party and it’s leaders are far from perfect, but I also have said that, given the choice between the two major parties, there is really no choice on who we should choose to lead the United States. I’ve also concentrated on the negatives of what the Democrat party, and the small group of radicals that have hijacked the party, have done. A lot of times, I have failed to mention what this administration has accom

It was a few days before Feb. 14, 1954. I walked to the candy store on Flatbush Avenue, just two or three blocks from our apartment on Fenimore Street in Brooklyn, NY. I’d heard that the store sold a small, heart-shaped box of chocolates that could be mailed. The bottom of the box had space to write an address and another space that was designated for some first-class stamps. I think the chocolates cost $1. I wrote in Judy’s name and her address in Summit, New Jersey, applied

It seems the buzzword captivating Americans these days is “affordability.” Yet everywhere you go, prices still seem to be increasing here in California. We’re all seeking relief from the high costs of living, with no end in sight. This trend is already being compounded by a hidden cost driver known as the “tort tax,” which this year totals $2,567 for each Californian. This number represents the hidden tax and the extra burden every Californian pays per year to compensate for

Lisa Gardner has a talent for writing prose that is both raw and visceral. It pulls the reader into the story on an emotional level. In “Never Tell” (2019, 399 pages) the book unfolds through the narration of several characters, including Detective D.D. Warren, Evie (a former and present suspect), and Flora (a former victim of a vicious kidnapper, survivor, confidential informant for Det. Warren, and street-smart amateur sleuth). Sounds confusing, but it’s not because of the

As an American, I often pledge my allegiance to the good old United States of America, as every American should. I firmly believe we are a nation of morals, a nation of laws and a Christian nation. However there is a number of far left radicals that are trying to make some very big changes to our country that will alter our lives. I know there are many members of the Democrat party that are very loyal to the U.S. and the Constitution and don’t like the direction that this gro

This has been the coldest winter that I can remember since I moved to Madera more than a quarter of a century ago. Locally, I’ve watched friends come down with flu and serious colds that they’ve escaped during previous winters. Nationwide, I’ve heard from other friends who have been similarly affected. Now, I’m battling flu. Of course, I realize that being cold doesn’t cause either colds or influenza. However, cold weather does encourage people to form into tighter groups tha