John Anderson has over 45 years of experience in Law Enforcement.  Now he wants to add another 4 years as the Sheriff of Madera County. If elected, this will be his fourth term as Sheriff.  After a distinguished career with the California Highway Patrol, John knew he could play a major part in making the Madera County Sheriff’s Department a Department with pride and distinction within the State of California. After taking office, John faced many challenges and through the years has obtained many accomplishments. These challenges and accomplishments were met only because of John’s experience, abilities and hard work. Under John’s administration he implemented many programs which have received state and national recognition. Most noteworthy is the utilization of civilian volunteers. This includes Citizens on Patrol, Chaplain Program and the Search and Rescue Unit. He formed a multi-agency gang and narcotics task force and a regional SWAT Team, All at which greatly benefitted the citizens of Madera County at very little cost to the tax payer. Under Anderson’s watch, he equipped patrol vehicles with in-car computer systems. The department can now reach citizens throughout Madera County in a matter of minutes thanks to the installation of the “Reverse 911 Emergency Notification System.” He is also credited for securing an inter-agency radio system connecting the sheriff’s department with all other emergency responders in the county.During his tenure, he started the “Operation Lost and Found” program, which provides miniature bracelet transmitters to Alzheimer’s patients, so they can be located if they wander off. Other programs include, the SOS-911, or “Saving our Seniors”, where persons are provided donated deactivated cellular phones, capable of dialing 911 if the person needs assistance. This program also extends to victims of domestic violence. Madera County continues to need a man like John Anderson. A man with education and experience. A man connected politically and respected with county, state and federal leaders. A man, who is known, admired and involved in local community affairs. Madera County does not need a sheriff who lacks formal education, has no managerial experience and little real time experience in law enforcement. We do not need someone who comes to the job with limited personal and supervisorial skills who is responsible for supervising less than 6 people at a time.

See your marriage through the eyes of God. Focus on Marriage will help you understand the higher purpose of marriage, while providing practical insights to help with everyday issues. 

Focus on The Family presents Focus on Marriage February 28th 2009 at Yosemite Lakes Community Church.

Please view the flyer below for information regarding this wonderful event.

focus_on_marriage_poster2.jpg

The largest cycling event in America, the 2009 Amgen Tour of California is a Tour de France-style cycling road race presented by AEG that challenges the world’s top professional cycling teams to compete along a demanding, recently expanded, 750-mile course from Sacramento to Escondido from February 14-22, 2009.

Lance Armstrong will be leading this year’s race which will come through Oakhurst on February 18th between 1 and 4 p.m

Founded in 2005, Breakaway from Cancer continues to raise awareness and funds to support valuable services and programs, provided free of charge, that help people living with cancer. The initiative was created by Amgen as a complementary component to the company’s sponsorship of the Amgen Tour of California. This year, the initiative continues to support the important programs and tools offered by the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship and The Wellness Community.

So I just posted my thoughts on daylight savings time and then came across this article which cleared up many of my questions.  Hopefully it will answer any questions you may have.

“Daylight Saving Time: Why Did We Do It?

At 2:00 a.m. local on Sunday, most of the United States (except Hawaii and Arizona) will leave daylight saving time behind and fall back an hour to standard time.

The annoyance of resetting clocks (or forgetting to, and showing up an hour early for appointments on Sunday) may raise the question of why we bother with this rigmarole in the first place.

Daylight saving time is most often associated with the oh-so-sweet extra hour of sleep in fall (and the not-so-nice loss of an hour in spring), but some of the original reasons for resetting our clocks twice a year including saving energy and having more daylight hours for retailers, sporting events and other activities that benefit from a longer day.

As far back as the 1700s, people recognized the potential to save energy by jumping clocks ahead one hour in the summer - Benjamin Franklin even wrote about it - although the idea was not put into practice until the 20th century.

During both World Wars, the United States and Great Britain began observing daylight saving time.

After the war, U.S. states were free to choose whether to observe daylight saving time and the calendar start dates of the time change. The result was time confusion for travelers and newscasters. In 1966, Congress enacted the Uniform Time Act, which stated that if any state observed daylight saving, it had to follow a uniform protocol, beginning and ending on the same dates throughout the country.

Starting in 2007, the Energy Policy Act of 2005 lengthened daylight saving time by four weeks, starting it three weeks earlier in spring and ending it one week later in fall. Daylight saving now begins on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday of November.

Formerly it began on the first Sunday of April and ended on the last Sunday of October, so that extra week gives trick-or-treaters a precious extra hour of candy-gathering before sunset.

But not everyone is wild about daylight saving time, with some states opting out all together and others proposing to do so.

Hawaii has never observed daylight saving time, as its tropical latitude means its daylight hours stay fairly constant year-round. Arizona likewise has not observed daylight saving time since 1967 because the extra daylight in the summer would just mean more energy consumption to keep the desert state’s residents cool.

Many Alaskans would like to stop observing daylight saving time because the change in daylight from summer to winter is already so extreme at their northerly latitude. A petition has even been set before the state this year to abolish the observance of daylight saving time in Alaska.

Florida too finds daylight saving time less useful because of it’s southerly latitude. In 2008, a Florida state senator introduced a bill to abolish the practice in Florida.

From 1970 to 2006, most of Indiana didn’t observe daylights time, but began to do so in April 2006 after eight counties in the western portion of the state switched from the Eastern to the Central Time Zone.

None of the U.S. territories, including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, observe daylight saving time. ”

Andrea Thompson
Senior Writer
LiveScience.com andrea Thompson
senior Writer
livescience.com – Fri Oct 31, 2:33 pm ET

This Saturday, October 25^th,  I will travel up to Gods country to visit my pal Dennis Fairbanks, in Coarsegold California. We are going to attend the annual Tarantula Festival at Coarsegold Historic Village, located on Hwy 41 in downtown Coarsegold. This year there will be an 8 foot tarantula carved by local woodcarver Wayne Boring. There will be a contest to name the bug that will be a permanent fixture in the area. Who knows this unnamed spider may become as popular as Oakhurst Talking Bear.

The weekend events will include a pumpkin pie contest, scream-off contest, Pizza eating contest and a live Tarantula derby.

The community of Eastern Madera County is mourning the loss of one of their children. Last week sixteen year old Danny Zabicki lost his battle with cancer. Danny was a sweet and talented young man that was an inspiration to all that knew him. His parents, well known and respected, own one of Oakhurst’s best places to eat, The Crab Cake’s Restaurant.

There will be a fundraiser on Monday, October 27, 2008, from 12:00am to 7:00pm. for the Zabicki family. The event will be held at the Crab Cake’s Restaurant Patio. This will be a great opportunity to honor and remember a fine young man that was taken from us so soon in life.

Our prayers and thoughts go out to this fine family.

For information call Heather 559 676-5056 or Linda 559 683-6993.

I remember my first haunted house.  I was scared out of my mind!!!  I vowed I would never go in another haunted house.  After many years, when I was at college, I went with a group of friends to FRIGHTMARE.  This haunted house was in downtown San Diego and it was SCARY.  I will never forget being at the back of the line and feeling our way through the dark.  After screaming the entire way through the haunted house we saw a light at the end of the tunnel.  As the light grew larger and larger we figured we had survived.  That was until a man in a freaky mask came up from behind us and fired up his chainsaw.  My friend and I went from the back of the line to the front of the line in less than 1 second knocking over everyone who was in our way.  As we stumbled over the last person we looked up and saw the busy street of downtown San Diego.  We stood up looked at eachother and turned our heads back towards the exit of the haunted house just in time to see our other friends flying out the door of the haunted house.  We all caught our breath and just started laughing.  From that moment on I was hooked.  Each year I look forward to all the great haunted houses.  As Halloween approaches I can’t wait to go to a haunted house. 

 On that note.  the Sierra Lions Club of Oakhurst is hosting their 2nd Annual Haunted House at the end  of October.  Not only can you attend and get scared out of your wits but you can also sponsor a tombstone.  Let’s join together and help the Lions Club raise money for their organization.  I can’t wait to go! 

This past weekend, while checking out real estate in Eastern Madera County, I decided to take a short drive to Mariposa where they were holding the 2^nd annual Blazing Hogs BBQ competition.  My good friend, Dennis Fairbanks, a Realtor for the Fairbanks Real Estate Group at Montecino and Associates Real Estate, was competing in the contest with his famous ribs and chicken.  Being a retired CHP officer, Dennis joined up with retired officer Dave Huskey and active officer Jim Mann. They call themselves “3 Guns a Smokin”. 

I arrived just in time to see the three chippies running franticly to meet the meat turn in time. With their fancy water smokers and kill to die for rub and sauce, they captured prizes in all categories.

It appears the 2^nd annual Blazing Hogs BBQ was a huge success with proceeds going to help Mariposa’s only hospital, John C Fremont. With record breaking attendance, outstanding entertainment and great weather I am sure next year will be bigger and better.

Next time you drive through the town of Coarsegold drop in the local real estate office and ask Dennis when and where they will be BBQing again, you’ll be glad you did.

This year so many families have been affected by natural disasters.  For those affected by such trajedy you’d hope that they would be able to receive assistance.  Mariposa County faced a devasting year of fires.  The Telegraph Fire and Oliver Fire left many with only ashes of memories.  With hope of assistance from FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) many were ready to rebuild thier lives and build new memories.  However the hope of aid from FEMA was declined.  FEMA has now turned their attention to the victims of the hurricanes.  Is this fair?  Why is FEMA doing this?  Should everyone who needs it, receive it?  I was shocked to hear on the channel 30 news that local residents of Mariposa will not be receiving any assistance from FEMA.  I don’t think this is right.  One victim needs just as much help as the other. 

RUN FOR THE GOLDCAR SHOW IF YOU LIKE CLASSIC CARS, YOU’LL ENJOY THIS ONE.THE OAKHURST SIERRA SUNRISE ROTARY WILL BE HOSTING THE ANNUAL CAR SHOW THIS COMING WEEKEND, AS FOLLOWS: FRIDAY NIGHTLOCATION: OAKHURST LODGE (HWY 41 AND 426)INCLUDES: A WONDERFUL DINNER OF                                    TRI TIP, HOMEMADE CHILI BEANS, RICE                                     RICE PILAF, SALAD AND GARLIC BREADCOST FOR DINNER: $12.00 PER PERSONTIME: BEGINS AT 5:30 P.M.THE LODGE WILL HAVE A FULL ARRAY OF CLASSIC CARS FOR YOUR VIEWING PLEASURE SO COME ON OUT AND ENJOY THE CARS AND A GREAT MEAL. SATURDAY 8:00 UNTIL 2:00 P.M.THE CARS, APPROXIMATLEY 150, WILL MOVE OVER TO THE OAKHURST COMMUNITY PARK.THERE WILL BE SEVERAL MEAL VENUES FOR YOUR APPETITES WHILE YOU ENJOY THE CAR SHOW. WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU THERE.