Schrabel trial delayed again

    MADERA - The murder trial of Charles Schrabel, set to begin this week, has been continued until the end of the month.
    Mr. Schrabel, 22, of North Fork, is accused of the murder of 21-year-old Jamie Putman, whose body was found more than a year ago by fishermen in a creek near the Gray's Mountain Campground area.
    Mr. Schrabel was implicated in her murder after bringing Ms. Putman's truck to the Madera County Sheriff's Department Bass Lake office, at their request.
    Evidence found in the bed of the truck suggested that Ms. Putman may have sustained injuries prior to going over the side of the cliff, detectives say.
    Start of the trial is now rescheduled for November 30.

Librarian seeks grant for library computers

    MADERA - If all goes according to the new Madera County chief librarian's plan, the five county libraries will benefit in the form of computers, complete with word-processing and Internet capabilities.
    Madera native Linda Sitterding, chief librarian for less than a month, is hopeful about attracting what she estimates to be a value in excess of $150,000 from a foundation created by Microsoft founder Bill Gates.
    "The goal of this foundation, explains Ms. Sitterding, "is to make computers available to people who are at or below the poverty level … those who cannot afford personal home computers.