The closing of one of Oakhurst's main employment sources has those affected by the layoffs scrambling and the entire mountain community reeling.
     The decision came down quickly and hard last Monday, when Yosemite Entertainment, the original division of Sierra On-Line, closed its doors.
     That decision came from Washington headquarters, with the reasoning being reorganization.
     Yosemite Entertainment is one of five divisions affected by this decision. The others are Pyrotechnix, Inc (Cincinnati, Ohio); Synergistic (Renton, Washington); and Books that Work, Inc (Palo Alto). The fifth, Headgate, in Utah, was sold to its former owner.
     While its warehouse and distribution department remain operational, those in the developmental end of Yosemite Entertainment - the designers, computer programmers, writers, artists, musicians, public-relations, marketing and administrative staff - were laid off.
     The Warn Act, a federal law, requires a 60-day notice to employees working for intrastate commerce when more than 50 people are laid off. Headquarters with two months of severance pay.

    MADERA - Merchants in Eastern Madera County submitted 40 bad checks for collection last month by District Attorney's Bad-Check Program.
     Henry Craighead, program administrator, says $1,380 was recovered for east-county merchants.
     County-wide, merchants submitted 178 bad checks to the program and $6,271 was recovered and returned to victims.
     The program has recovered $267,126 to date for victims in the county, $53,020 of that for east-county victims.
     
     All merchants and private citizens are encouraged to use this free public service provided by District Attorney Ernest J. LiCalsi. The bad-check program handles non-sufficient funds ("NSF ), account-closed checks and stop-payment checks that do not involve a civil dispute.

    RAYMOND - Madera County Sheriff's Dive team was called out to the Hidden View Recreation area at Hensley Lake at 10 a.m. Wednesday after Park Ranger Wayne Renfro reported a vehicle submerged near the shoreline.
     The dive team was able to gather information indicating the 1995 Suzuki Sidekick was registered to Alma Craig of Madera.
     Ms. Craig had reported the vehicle stolen the night before.

     Yosemite's wrestling team finished in the top five of the Sequoia-Sierra Divisionals held last Saturday.
     The team scored 108 points, just six points from third place.
     "We were hoping to finish in the top five, and we did, says coach Kent Lincoln. "We have not been ranked all season, so we wanted to make a statement.