Madera Sierra Star: “Winter storms left hundreds of Pacific Gas & Electric customers without power in the Wawona and Fish Camp areas as of Monday morning, a spokesperson for PG&E said.      Powerlines were down in some regions, while trees blew into powerlines in others, a combination that left 729 PG&E customers without power in…

The Modesto Bee: “The sound of the bell bounces off the rooftop of the rustic lodge and can be heard virtually everywhere near Badger Pass. That clanging bell announces the beginning of another class at the Badger Pass Ski School, run by the legendary Nic Fiore for more than a half-century. Fiore loved to ring…

Modesto Bee: “Friday, a rock slide blocked westbound traffic on Highway 140 just east of Mariposa for part of the afternoon. Rain poured down in Yosemite Valley, a national park spokeswoman said. ‘We had 4 to 6 inches of snow on the valley floor, and the rain is making it really slushy,’ Adrienne Freeman said.…

BostonHerald.com: “The sun was up, but the ghost of a moon clung stubbornly to the flawless blue sky.      Out of the stillness of the valley floor suddenly rose a chorus of coyotes’ cries. The sounds echoed off the canyon walls of Yosemite National Park, rising and falling in complex layers.      Downstairs in the Great Lounge…

SF Gate: “In contrast to its seemingly unalterable granite walls, giant Sequoias and waterfalls, Yosemite National Park’s manmade features saw major changes in 2004, with more coming this year. The grand Ahwahnee Hotel’s flurry of remodeling, from carpets to bedding to coffee-makers, continues in 2005 with renovation of the costly Mary Curry Tresidder and Library…

LA Times (registration required): “One of the country’s most well-known national parks is attracting fewer visitors, park officials said. Yosemite National Park drew fewer than 3.4 million visitors in 2004 — the lowest number in 14 years, said park officials who were preparing to release the exact numbers this week. ”