Many readers like to munch on something while they pore over their books. Others enjoy the cool refreshment of a bowl of ice cream while turning pages. Well, some of the best ice cream in the world comes from valley cows and is processed in a valley creamery. There are several places in the Central Valley that are truly “destinations” that bring people to enjoy their beauty or uniqueness. Hanford used to have two of them. Imperial Dynasty was legend for those who enjoy a sit-

Is the State’s required calculation method costing your water system thousands of dollars? For many small and rural drinking water systems, the answer may be yes — and it comes down to how “average” is calculated. The State Division of Drinking Water requires a simple average to determine long-term arsenic levels as well as other contaminants. Madera County simply follows the state method. While straightforward, this method can produce misleading results — sometimes overstati

With astronauts Victor Glover, Jeremy Hansen, Christina Koch, and Reid Weisman tucked inside, Artemis II took off from Cape Canaveral on April 1, 2026. And it wasn’t an April Fool’s joke. Eight million pounds of thrust lifted the 73,735 pounds of space craft off the launching pad and started its slingshot trip to the Moon. This mission costs somewhere between $4.1 and $4.2 billion, but the overall Artemis program had a total expense of $93 billion, through 2025. The “space to

Do not vote for Measure T; it will not repair roads, as advertised. Where has it gone so far? Avenue 12 resurface. Who uses that road? Fresno. They work here, but live in Fresno. Some went to a road in Chowchilla towards Eastman lake. Nice road, but who uses it? Better yet, who lives on it. Now, we are paying for a widening of State Route 41 by Tesoro Viejo! We also paid for a “ByPass” through that development. All that should have been “Impact Fees” paid for by the Developer

The proposed “SAVE America” law is described as needed to protect our elections. But when we look at the facts, this bill does not solve a real problem. Instead, it would make voting more difficult or impossible for millions of citizens, while spreading fear and disinformation. Supporters say the bill is needed to stop non-citizens from voting. But experience at local and state elections, as well as verified studies, show that this is an exceedingly rare occurrence. The Herit

Imagine the Merry Pranksters from Ken Kesey’s Beat-Generation classic, On the Road. They were the motley crew who traveled across the United States with the author in a “psychedelically” painted school bus, holding parties, and passing out the hallucination-producing drug of choice for the Beats (and later, the Hippies): LSD. Their motto was “the obliteration of the entire nation.” In 2014, prankster Ken Babbs explained, “…not taken literally of course.” They didn’t kidnap, r

“We have met the enemy, and he is us.” — Comic strip character, Pogo If you are planning to watch the 2026 movie, Mercy, don’t read this column. The movie is slightly futuristic, and it is a reminder that the future is now. It features two key starring roles: Chris Pratt who plays LAPD detective Chris Raven (the accused) and Rebecca Ferguson who plays AI Judge Maddox (who is also the Jury and Executioner). As the plot develops, Kali Reis, Annabelle Wallis, Chris Sullivan, and

I am writing to express my ardent support for Melanie Barker for Madera County District 5 Supervisor. As a longtime member of this community, I’ve seen many people step into leadership roles, but few with the consistency and commitment that Melanie brings. She has been actively involved in local organizations for decades, including the Oakhurst Chamber of Commerce and MY Club, often the unsung hero behind the scenes donating her time and money. Always focused on strengthening