
Bill Coate
Alfredo Farnesi made his mark
For The Madera Tribune “Skeeko” Alfredo Farnesi. Once upon a time, the Fresno Bee published a column by Woody Laughnan, which carried his...

Bill Coate
Sheriff fought prostitution in Madera
For The Madera Tribune Sheriff John Barnett, shown here, had his hands full trying to rid Madera of prostitution. Being sheriff of Madera...


Bill Coate
Madera’s first black police officer was tough, compassionate
For The Madera Tribune General Waldo Sims, Madera’s first black police officer. When the Madera policeman came to the home of Charles...


Bill Coate
Barsotti legacy of hard work paid off
For The Madera Tribune Sugar Pine workers await lunch from Barsotti’s hotel. The 32 year-old Italian packed his bags and prepared to...


Bill Coate
Treasurer’s wife fought to the end
For The Madera Tribune County Treasurer Amer and the wife who worked so hard to get him out of prison. It was Saturday night in Madera,...


Bill Coate
Madera firefighters saved lives
For The Madera Tribune Madera even used its old hook and ladder rig to fight the hotel fire. As Maderans neared the end of the 1920s,...


Bill Coate
A danger-filled night for 2 Madera cops
For The Madera Tribune Madera’s police force in 1947. Ernie Fernandez is on the far right. In 1947, Madera was pretty much a peaceful,...
Nancy Simpson
My first job
The summer after I graduated from high school, and before I began college, I worked in a men's retail clothing store in downtown Atlanta....