Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune Some orchards along Cleveland Avenue near Road 23 are flooded due to recent and current rainfall. When Central Valley farmers talk about water, they welcome the rain any time they can get it. However, when Madera County was soaked with a record amount of rain this week, maybe it wasn’t the best time to get it.  Not that farmers are complaining. Now, they are worried about their crops, especially the almond crops, which is the No. 1 agricultu

For The Madera Tribune Sheriff Jasper Lewis, shown here, was helpless to prevent the jailhouse bee attack of 1915. The Madera County jail was barely 20 years old in 1915 when Sheriff Jasper Lewis took over as the county’s top lawman. As fall gave way to winter, he decided that it was time to “put up the heater.” Preparatory to its installation, however, the flue had to be cleaned out, so Lewis called Chauncey Smith, a chimney sweep from Merced, to perform the task. Smith arri

The Madera County Sheriff’s Office wants to remind everyone to take the weather seriously and prioritize safety above all else. Small preparations today can make a big difference in ensuring your safety during a storm. Here are some tips to be prepared. • Stay Informed: Keep up-to-date with weather alerts and advisories through the Madera Sheriff App, local news, the National Weather Service, or reliable weather apps. • Emergency Supplies: Ensure you have an emergency kit wit

For The Madera Tribune The historic Shay #12 steam engine will make its way to California to the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad next week. FISH CAMP — A rare and historic moment in California rail history is set to unfold as Shay #12, a nearly century-old steam locomotive, returns to California to join Shay #10 and Shay #15 at the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad. Built in April 1926, Shay #12 is a 60-ton, three-truck Shay steam engine that powered logging operati

The Madera Irrigation District (MID or District) will end water deliveries with the drain down of the system that began Wednesday. Due to the dry conditions that persisted in January and no storms on the horizon, releases from Friant Dam are ending. MID appreciates all landowners who took the water while it was available. This is a reminder that timing is crucial when water is available and all District landowners who have the ability should take the water for the benefit of

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

Climate change is occurring before our eyes. We can track significant alterations in weather patterns within lifetimes, rather than over generations or centuries. Some parts of the globe are affected differently from other parts, and melting ocean ice in the Arctic Circle has made the island of Greenland of strategic importance to certain countries, including the United States. As polar ice melts, it opens new shipping lanes. Additionally, the island is positioned to house ea