For The Madera Tribune Team members Sherman Thomas Surge Showdown seventh grade team stand next to their launcher include Liam Maya, Payton Maya, Marilyn Moraga, Andre Torok.The team was coached by Jamie Brock and Angie Reed. Madera County’s middle school students from throughout Madera County competed in the first STEM Games hosted by Madera County Superintendent of Schools and Madera County Schools Foundation. This year, 10 teams from five schools competed in a series of fo

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

As Women’s History Month comes to an end, I’d like to recognize two women who were developing the modern computer long before most Americans even knew about the electronic device. Their contributions, one in the mid-19th century and the other a hundred years later in the mid-20th century, introduced novel ways of solving problems. Although they lived a century apart, both women helped to guide the development of the computers that we use every day. Ada Lovelace Augusta Ada Ki

Most adults know something about — or at least have heard of — anorexia, an eating disorder that affects females, for the most part. Although anyone can become anorexic, the ailment is most likely to affect young women, probably starting in their teens. However, there is a little-known affliction that is most likely to be experienced by young men: “bigorexia.” And it is increasing in this country. Muscle dysmorphia, or bigorexia, is probably due to a distorted notion about an

Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune Madera South’s Jeanette Duran connects on a mid-range jumper during the third quarter of Wednesday’s loss to the Mendota Aztecs. The early returns looked promising for the Madera South Stallions girls basketball team in its non-conference match-up against the Mendota Aztecs. However, after taking an 8-3 lead, the Stallions went cold and the Aztecs got hot. Mendota scored 20 straight points, including holding the Stallions scoreless in the s

“Buona sera. This is Il Ristorante L’Anima d’Italia. How may I help you?” “Hello. I’d like to make a reservation for two at seven toes and half a pinkie. And we’d like a booth.” Sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it? But wait. Consider that we’ve been brainwashed for centuries into believing that a day is divided into 24 hours, hours into 60 minutes, and minutes into 60 seconds.

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

Tyler Takeda/The Madera Tribune File Photo Members of MadTown Robotics enter Fresno Yosemite International Airport while receiving a hero’s welcome after winning the program’s third World Championship in April. Three-time World Champions, MadTown Robotics and Madera Unified School District will host the 16th annual FIRST® Robotics Competition, “Madtown Throwdown” on Saturday and Sunday at Matilda Torres High School. The free community event will welcome 30 robotics teams fro