If you are contemplating endorsement of a candidate for Madera County Supervisor, District 5, I want to make sure you are aware of Melanie Barker’s extensive leadership experience. Melanie Barker (SRS, AHWD, C2EX, RENE) serves California, Hawaii, and Guam as the National Association of REALTORS®’ 2026 Region 13 Regional Vice President. She is the broker-owner of Summit Real Estate, specializing in residential, land, and property management. Melanie has served at all three lev

The “arrogance of ignorance” is how Mr. Wieland started his letter, and meant it for Republicans, but it fits Democrats much better. I know he is trying to pin this war with Iran on President Trump, but that war really started some 47 years ago. Trump is trying to ensure that we will finish this thing, once and for all, and trying to say “he can’t justify and apparently can’t win” is really a dumb statement.

I grew up in Madera, spending many summer days at what we knew as “Swimming Pool Park.” While I no longer live in the city, I still follow local news and care deeply about Madera’s future. Recent news regarding the continued closure of Centennial Pool prompts a vital question: Are Madera’s aquatic facilities adequate for a city of its size, climate, and growth? The municipal pool serving residents today traces its origins to an era when Madera was a town of just a few thousan

David Baldacci has written more than fifty best-selling mystery novels. I think that I’ve read all of them. This one is different. Like his other thrillers, Nash Falls (2025, 424 pages in hardback format) has interesting characters, dastardly subplots, and lots of tension. And yet, it’s different. The book opens with the funeral for Tiberius Nash’s funeral. Ty, to his friends, had been a soldier’s soldier during the Vietnam War. He had the medals, commendations, and purple he

This year, India — the world’s most populous country — is conducting the world’s largest census. It is not only doing an official count of its estimated 1.4 million people, but also a count of people who identify as members of specific castes. This is the first time that membership in a caste (a socio-religious category) will be recognized since the South Asian nation won its independence from Great Britain in 1947. The last time that caste membership was counted was 1931. Wh

The President of the United States started a war that he can’t justify and apparently can’t win. His unforced error has created an international crisis that he can’t spin. And our former allies, those friendly countries that he has insulted for years, are sitting back and letting him hang from the political petard that he hoisted on himself and the world. China and Russia are laughing at him. While Trump is distracted by Iran’s refusal to surrender and the radioactive half-li

I am writing to express my strong support for Melanie Barker as the next Madera County District 5 Supervisor. I believe she is the best candidate for this position because she truly understands the needs of our community, and has the experience to represent us effectively. As a small business owner, Melanie Barker brings a practical, real-world perspective to the challenges facing our district. She understands firsthand the importance of supporting local businesses, encouragi

I don’t believe that history repeats itself. I do believe, however, that the arrogance of ignorance leads to strikingly similar albeit preventable mistakes time after time. We could learn from Gertrude Bell. She was a complicated, female British contemporary of T. E. Lawrence, Lawrence of Arabia, in the Middle East before, during and after WW1. She rode camels to visit desert tribes at her own expense. She learned native languages and respected local customs. She advised the