For The Madera Tribune Alfredo and Caterina Farnesi. The woman left her little Italian village in the province of Lucca and walked along the dusty road with a cart full of flowers to sell. Suddenly she stopped and thought, “I don’t want to live this kind of life anymore; I want to go to America.” The year was 1921, and the young women was 22 year-old Caterina Tocchini. Caterina’s decision to go to America was perhaps made easier by the fact that her sister, Costanza, had immi

Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune File Photo Fastway Chicken is currently under renovation, and is set to open by next week, with plans to have a Grand Reopening Celebration on April 11. Fastway Chicken is widely known through Madera for its fried chicken. One quality is Fastway’s ability to get customers in and out of the restaurant at 749 N. D Street. Unfortunately, when it comes to remodeling the store, it isn’t going as “fast” as owner Kathy Nishimoto wanted.  “This was

For the fifth consecutive year, Holy Trinity Episcopal Church and Madera United Methodist Church will offer a sung Good Friday service at noon on April 3. This service brings many who travel from Fresno and farther to experience this traditional Good Friday worship. This chanted and sung service uses music and prayers that are many centuries old. Fully half of the one-hour service is the chanted Passion according to John, proclaiming the passion narrative of Jesus, chapters 1

Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune  Local dignitaries and city officials gather with community members for a ribbon cutting ceremony for the newly paved and improved walking trail in Lions Town and Country Park on Saturday. Dignitaries and guests converged to the newly refurbished Town and Country Trails for a 5K run/walk to highlight the completion of the trails at the park.  The ribbon was cut Saturday morning and hundreds of people walked or ran through the parks for the 5

For The Madera Tribune Craig Judd. The Chowchilla Chamber of Commerce invites the community and art enthusiasts to an evening celebrating one of Chowchilla’s most acclaimed artists.  On April 25, from 4-8 p.m., the Chamber of Commerce will host an exclusive art show showcasing the extraordinary pinstriping mastery of Craig Judd at the Chowchilla American Legion Hall, 445 Trinity Avenue. A lifelong Chowchilla resident who has operated from his backyard garage studio for more t

For The Madera Tribune Arcola School in 1926. “I always look back upon the days I spent in Arcola School as among the happiest and most profitable of my life, and I always feel a sense of reverence for the Arcola School of old, whenever I pass the present one” — Dr. Dow Ransom, 1938. With these words, one of Madera’s most highly respected physicians paid homage to the first school he attended upon arriving here as a 12-year-old lad in 1892, and in doing so, he helped keep an

When summer temperatures climb into the triple digits across the Central Valley, the impacts reach far beyond discomfort.  Power demand rises, outdoor work becomes dangerous, and vulnerable residents face serious health risks. Extreme heat, along with flooding, drought, and wildfire, is one of several natural hazards that communities across California must plan for long before emergencies occur. In Madera County, that preparation is nearing completion.

CHOWCILLA — MED-Project has announced a new unwanted medication drop box has been recently installed at Alpha Care Pharmacy in Chowchilla, California. Secure and convenient medication disposal sites are an important aspect of community safety. MED-Project is committed to supporting rural communities with easy-to-use solutions for removing unwanted or expired medications from the home. MED-Project’s drop boxes can be found at select pharmacies and law enforcement agencies thro