For The Madera Tribune Kaelei Kajitani. For most of her life Kaelei Kajitani has played baseball. She never went to softball, and just played baseball. She earned All-Star honors with the Madera American Little League, starred with the South County Colts travel team and helped the Madera South baseball team to a Central Section championship in 2022. Now, as one of the top prospects, Kajitani, 21, will be waiting for her name to be called during the first Women's Professional

The Madera Elks Lodge 1918 will host its annual Hoop Shoot contest on Saturday at the John Wells Youth Center (701 E. 5th Street). Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. with competition beginning at 10 a.m. There will be six different divisions — 8-9-year-old boys and girls, 10-11-year-old boys and girls, and 12-13-year-old boys and girls. The contest is free to all children, no matter their pyramid.

For The Madera Tribune Matilda Torres High School hosts 30 teams from California and Mexico on November 8-9, showcasing over 48 robots in two days of high-intensity matches at the 16th annual MadTown Throwdown. The 16th annual MadTown Throwdown robotics competition energized Matilda Torres High School on November 8 and 9, with 30 teams from across California and Mexico showcasing more than 48 robots in two days of high-intensity matches. World Champion MadTown Robotics Team 1

For The Madera Tribune Madera High School BSU students display a Ruby Bridges-themed banner as they lead Madison Elementary students, who follow with flags, during the 2024 Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day. Hundreds of Madera Unified students of all grade levels and staff participated in the Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day on Friday. Now in its fourth year, the event honors civil rights icon Ruby Bridges, who in 1960 became one of the first Black children to integrate an all-

For The Madera Tribune From left, Malia Rodriguez, Alma Vasquez, Manuel Reyes-Herrera, and Aracely Reyes-Herrera show off their state champion ribbons, banner and trophy after winning the Cotton Judging state competition on November 1. MSHS FFA teacher earns degree The Madera FFA Cotton Judging Team captured the State championship at the California State Finals and Field Day held on Saturday, November 1 at California State University, Fresno. The team, coached by MTEC Ag Lab

Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune Madera Community Hospital CEO Dr. Sony Sidhu, holding scissors, is joined by staff, board members and dignitaries as she cuts the ribbon for the reopening of the Family Health Services Clinic during a ceremony on November 4. When American Advanced Management re-opened Madera Community Hospital earlier in the year, the next box to check was to re-open its clinics. With the grand opening, consider that box checked as dignitaries throughout th

For The Madera Tribune Members of the Madera Elks Lodge 1918, from left, “Bear” Hernandez, Doug Row, “Elroy” (Kathy Row) and Scott Boghosian pose with Mrs. Thomson’s third grade class at John Adams Elementary School. The Madera Elks Lodge No. 1918 is serving the community by promoting its annual Dictionary Project. The club raised funds to purchase dictionaries for third grade students for 27 schools in Madera and Chowchilla. This year, the Lodge also used grant funds from

For The Madera Tribune Jay Mahil. MERCED — The UC Merced Foundation has announced the appointment of two new members to its Board of Trustees — Stephanie Gallo, chief marketing officer at GALLO, and Creekside Company co-owner Jay Mahil. A fourth-generation farmer and the first in his family born in the United States, Mahil grew up in Lodi and is a longtime Fresno resident. After graduating from Lodi High School and Fresno State, he joined his family’s farming business, playi