Entertainment

The Fossils To Falls Road Trip Is An Eight-stop Itinerary Highlighting Madera County's Best Attractions

OAKHURST - The official Welcoming Committee of Visit Yosemite | Madera County has been known to act like animals, that's because they are a wild cast of characters. A red fox, a black bear, and more – oh my! Meet them all on The Fossils to Falls Road Trip, an itinerary designed to help visitors maximize their explorations in the region, learn a little along the way, and (hopefully) return on an all-expenses-paid adventure vacation.

"Our visitors have a blast collecting animal trading cards from the most popular attractions along with the Fossils to Falls Road Trip," explains Visit Yosemite | Madera County CEO Rhonda Salisbury. "This year, there are eight cards to collect, and that includes a brand new character, Art E. Fox to represent our vibrant art scene. We are proud to continue the fun times that this contest affords and very excited that (unlike last year) all of the locations will be open and accessible to travelers."

All-New Avengers Campus Debuts at Disney California Adventure Park

ANAHEIM - Super Heroes assembled to celebrate the momentous dedication of Avengers Campus Wednesday night in an epic ceremony at Disney California Adventure Park. Teaming up with Iron Man, Spider-Man, Captain America, Captain Marvel, Black Panther, and more, Disney CEO Bob Chapek unveiled the new land, which opened to the public at the Disneyland Resort on June 4, 2021.

In a live-stream event to dedicate Avengers Campus, Chapek was joined in front of Avengers Headquarters near the shining Quinjet by Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Chairman Josh D'Amaro and Marvel Studios President/Marvel Chief Creative Officer Kevin Feige, along with Paul Rudd, star of the "Ant-Man" films, Anthony Mackie from the hit Disney+ series "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier," and "Iron Man" director and actor Jon Favreau.

Fellow Performers & Friends Remember Country Music Pioneer Charley Pride

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Country Music Hall of Fame, Grand Ole Opry member, and country music pioneer, Charley Pride passed away Saturday, December 12, 2020, at the age of 86. His final performance came on November 11, 2020, when he sang “Kiss An Angel Good Mornin’” during the CMA Awards show at Nashville’s Music City Center with Jimmie Allen, a modern-day hitmaker who counts Pride among his heroes.

Through a mix of courage, determination, and extraordinary talent, Pride made country music history by becoming the genre’s first black superstar. The country legend had remarkable longevity in his career, which spanned more than five decades. His distinctive baritone voice allowed him to take almost every song he touched into the Top 10, if not the No. 1 position, typically spending multiple weeks there. Between his chart debut in 1966, and 1989, Pride had 29 No. 1 country hits and over 50 Top 10 tracks, including enduring classics like “Is Anybody Goin’ to San Antone” (1970), “Kiss an Angel Good Mornin’” (1971), and “All I Have to Offer You (Is Me)” (1969).

93rd Oscars® Nominations Announced - The Oscars Set to Air Live April 25th on ABC

LOS ANGELES - Actor-producer Priyanka Chopra Jonas and singer, songwriter and actor Nick Jonas announced the 93rd Oscars^® nominations today (March 15), live from London, via a global live stream on the Academy’s digital platforms, an international satellite feed, and broadcast media. Chopra Jonas and Jonas announced the nominees in 23 categories at 5:19 a.m. PT.

Academy members from each of the 17 branches vote to determine the nominees in their respective categories – actors nominate actors, film editors nominate film editors, etc. In the Animated Feature Film and International Feature Film categories, nominees are selected by a vote of multi-branch screening committees. All voting members are eligible to select the Best Picture nominees.

New Book 'Chloe, the Wiener Dog' is a Touching Story of a Dog That Finds Her New Forever Home in a Loving Family

NEW YORK - F. G. Carroll, a retiree, passionate author, and pet owner from Lynchburg, Virginia, has completed her new book, “Chloe, the Wiener Dog”: an exquisite tale that follows the journey of Chloe the wiener dog through loneliness and hope as she yearns for a place to be adopted and loved.

Carroll shares, “This book is based on a true story of the life and adventures of a chocolate-colored wiener dog named Chloe. As a puppy, Chloe worried she may never find her forever home. She had seen her three siblings adopted out and would hide, trembling in fear each time a potential adopter came to the house. This book tells how Chloe did find her forever home with a single mom and her three children. Chloe’s high-spirited, adventurous, full-of-life presence in the home launched a new beginning for this family. Their love of Chloe, and later her two wiener pups, taught the family that love and devotion of family members to each other is the most important thing on Earth, truly one of life’s greatest blessings.”

The Alternate Yosemite - Forest Bathing in California's Sierra Nevad

OAKHURST - Water bottle? Check. Journal? Check. Expectations for forest bathing? Those might need to be checked too. Forest Bathing is a phrase that describes an ancient human experience. Will we discover the antidote for doom-scrolling through the abyss of digital information? Will we experience a moment of clarity compliments of mother nature? Possibly.

As we set off, our guide informed us that the only goal was to take the short walk to a mountain creek, noticing nature at a snail pace. That's it. To clarify, forest bathing has nothing to do with immersing yourself in water. Instead, forest bathing allows one to dive into the five senses, taking a mindful approach to a typical ramble in the woods.

Garth Brooks Live Concert Set To Play Madera Drive In - Ticket On-Sale June 19th

LOS ANGELES - Garth Brooks is set for a concert event at the Madera 2 Drive-In Theater and 299 other drive-in theaters across North America, only on June 27th. The concert will be created exclusively for this event, making this a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The concert will be the largest ever one-night show to play at outdoor theaters across the United States and Canada.

“I am so excited to get to play again. I have missed it so much and want to get back to it,” said Brooks. “This drive-in concert allows us all to get back to playing live music without the uncertainty of what would be the result to us as a community. This is old school, new school, and perfect for the time we are in.”