News

MADERA - WHO IS MIKE SMITH? This is the question many of Madera High School students may have had Wednesday morning but after two rallys in the Joe Flores Gym a different way of thinking was instilled into their heads by a man who learned the true meaning of “I am my brother’s keeper.”

From his humble beginnings in Imperial, NE, Mike Smith has since founded two non-profits and influenced hundreds of thousands of youth in schools nationwide. Mike lives his life as a “professional teenager” that doubles as a youth motivational speaker and action sports personality. While other professional speakers struggle to remain current, Mike stays relevant by talking about what he’s doing, not what he’s done.

MADERA -  Madera Unified School District kicks-off the new school year with the district-wide campaign “We Believe.” The “We Believe” campaign is about rallying our staff and community to support our students across the district to “Think Big, Dream Big and Believe.” At Madera Unified we challenge ourselves to do even more toward our purpose of helping students develop their talents and skills to meet the world’s needs, and to serve more students with all that Madera has to offer.

School sites will kick off the “We Believe” campaign with their students and parents during Back to School Night.  The kick off includes playing the Madera Unified “We Believe” video and having all staff members and students fill out a “We Believe” Statement card.

EMERYVILLE, Calif - Grocery Outlet Bargain Market's 7^th Annual Independence from Hunger® (IFH) campaign has raised more than $1 million to provide over 500,000 meals to families in need. Throughout the month of July, Grocery Outlet customers, employees and store independent owner-operators across six states contributed food and monetary donations to help address critical food insecurity needs in their local communities.

More than 42.2 million Americans live without reliable access to affordable, nutritious food¹. In 2011 Grocery Outlet launched its first IFH campaign to help local food banks address high demand during the summer months. Deepening its commitment to helping address food insecurity in the communities it serves, Grocery Outlet set out this year to double the $524,414 raised in 2016's IFH campaign. Grocery Outlet's customers, employees and independent store operators stepped up to meet this bold fundraising challenge and raised $1,075,583. Local food banks will receive 100% of the proceeds as no administration or collateral fees will be deducted from the funds.

MADERA -  On August 8, 2017, Madera County Sheriff’s Office served a search warrant in the 52000 block of Road 423 at the location of a homicide which occurred the night prior.  An illegal outdoor marijuana operation was located on the property. 

Two separate grow locations were discovered and eradicated and 482 plants were seized.  The seized marijuana had an estimated street value of $578,400.

FRESNO - Detectives with the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office Sex Crimes Unit have arrested 40 year old Steven Matlak of Fresno.  This marks the second time he has been arrested in the last two weeks.  He is facing multiple felony charges, including lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14 and sexual penetration of a child 10 or younger.  

On July 27th, the Sheriff’s Office received a report from a woman who said her five year old daughter had told her Steve Matlak photographed and touched the girl inappropriately while she was naked.  Coincidentally, detectives developed information the next day that Matlak had done something similar with a nine year old girl.  She is not related to, nor does she know, the five year old girl from the first report.