@themercedfocus

@themercedfocus has been a member of Linktree for 2 years and joined in March 2024. Resources themercedfocus has populated their site with include: • After months of complaints, Greenhills HOA in Chowchilla agrees to resume lake payments • Covered CA terminations see dramatic rise in the Valley • Program aims to make public office accessible to immigrant families • One year of red-light cameras in Merced. How are they working? • Mother remembers son who died in Merced River drowning • Cactus Flower exhibit brings art from juvenile hall to gallery walls • Los Banos coffee business owner pushes for home-kitchen permits • Can AI help Valley farmers feed a growing world population? A new supercomputer may hold the answer - The Merced FOCUS • Merced landlords to face fines for substandard housing • California to share driver license data despite fears it could expose unauthorized immigrants • Candidate filing period approaching in Merced County • What are shifts like for police officers in Merced County? • Merced's Dual Language Academy to stay open for next 5 years • The only Fresno shelter for people escaping domestic violence has to turn some away – now they’re on the streets - The Intersection • Where to celebrate the Fourth of July in Merced County in 2026 • Merced drag queen is a defining figure in Valley LGBTQ community • Around 1,200 Merced County ballots were rejected during the June 2 primary election, registrar says - The Merced FOCUS • About one of five Valley seniors live alone. What does that mean for their physical and mental health? - The Merced FOCUS • Upscale Chowchilla HOA in legal battle with water agency • Sign up for our email newsletter • From fields to stages and the road: The many lives of Adolfo Sanchez - The Merced FOCUS • Lopez and Boyenga to compete for Merced County schools chief • Older adults go back to school in Merced • Alleged fentanyl dealer pleads not guilty to murder charges connected to 3 fatal overdoses - The Merced FOCUS • Merced County primary analysis: Some races still too tight to call • Residents want more say in proposed High Speed Rail station, UC Merced Labor Center study says • Measles detected in Merced County's wastewater, officials say • California High-Speed Rail board approves business plan that suggests moving downtown Merced station • Opinion: Merced needs growth that actually works for residents • Merced County Primary 2026 | The Latest Updates and Coverage - The Merced FOCUS • Early Merced County superintendent results show tight race • Newcomer and incumbent take early leads in Merced County supervisor races • Shooter in 2023 Los Banos killing sentenced to 11 years in prison • Here’s how voting went for Merced County in the primary election • Merced County Superintendent of Schools candidate’s district under financial review before election • Downtown Merced gets five new murals. • Merced artist Eddie Garcia never stopped making things • Primary Election 2026 | Merced Focus Video Debates and Coverage - The Merced FOCUS • Merced city budget faces constraints as firefighting grants expire • Have you been affected by animal bites in Merced County? / ¿Ha sido afectado por mordeduras de animales en el condado de Merced? • Dos Palos leaders to consider financialstate of emergency • Alleged fentanyl dealer charged with murder for trio of fatal Los Banos overdoses - The Merced FOCUS • Summer agriculture, end of school may bring upswing in Valley Fever cases - The Merced FOCUS • UC Merced graduates celebrate 2026 commencement • Opinion: Unsafe housing should not be the cost of living in Merced • Dos Palos misspent $2.2M in transportation tax money • Task force returns to Merced Sheriff’s Office after being disbanded • Merced County has slightly more homeless people • Hundreds of late Merced County ballots were rejected in 2025, data analysis finds - The Merced FOCUS • UC professor shares musical path, as “Soundscapes of Merced” exhibit opens at Courthouse Museum • McDaniel, Lara debate who should lead Merced County BOS District 3 • Atwater, Merced County will rezone to avoid state lawsuit • Top CA court denies Cary Stayner’s death penalty appeal • Merced County Superintendent candidates lean on experience in forum • Watch Mike Murphy and Japjeet Singh Uppal in 27th Assembly District debate • Merced County Sheriff's Office will switch to online ticketing • How Mexican American workers built Merced’s vibrant Grupero music scene - The Merced FOCUS • Young Brains, Huge Stakes: How transitional kindergarten is shaping young children in the San Joaquin Valley - The Merced FOCUS • Merced school district rescinds discipline for some students who walked out for anti-ICE protests - The Merced FOCUS • Victims of violent crimes remembered in Merced County ceremony • Silveira leans on record, Alejandre pushes for change at Merced County District 5 supervisor forum - The Merced FOCUS • Merced revisits code enforcement protocols after AG warning letter • UC Merced researchers sound the alarm on how dust affects health • Merced City Council hits pause on street closure permits • Modesto, Merced donors seek refunds from Swalwell campaign • UC Merced’s smart farm researches climate questions • 'Dual language immersion coordinator’ proposed for California. Here's how bilingual programs at Valley schools could benefit - The Merced FOCUS • Are Chowchilla's underground tunnels part of history or just legend? • Loss of tax credits drive Covered California insurance premiums higher for middle-income Valley residents - The Merced FOCUS • South Dos Palos celebrates "first stop" on the road to safer neighborhoods • Why aren't more faiths represented in prayers at Merced public meetings? • UC Merced event calls on students to prevent sexual violence • High-end apartment complex opens in north Merced • Support your local journalists - The Merced FOCUS • Jury acquits driver in Atwater crash that killed two sisters • Merced’s CBOs should rehabilitate local youth, not the GEO Group • Merced Mercado night market dates blocked under city ordinance • Events, resources for Sexual Assault Awareness Month in Merced • Merced College claims news outlets cost them thousands • CA governor candidates clash on San Joaquin Valley issues • Merced County officials launch campaign to boost childcare and early education access - The Merced FOCUS • Mother of Sophia Mason, 8, won’t face murder charge • New database by UC tracks Africans roots in Latin America • Complaints paint troubling picture of ‘fixes’ made to flood-ravaged homes in Merced County • Proposed Merced anti-slumlord ordinance will ‘have teeth’ to protect tenants, put problem landlords on notice, leaders say - The Merced FOCUS • Merced County could see a $10 million impact from ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ - The Merced FOCUS • ‘I believe the victims.’ Shock and sadness spreads in Merced, Valley over Cesar Chavez sex abuse allegations - The Merced FOCUS • A proposed anti-slumlord policy is gaining momentum in Merced • 'This is not about one dean.' Merced College leaders respond to reporting of workplace conflict - The Merced FOCUS • Opinion: Medi-Cal cuts are hitting Valley healthcare centers hard. Legislators must take action - The Merced FOCUS • Sutter Health opens new health clinic in Los Banos • ‘Our classrooms reflect the languages of the world.’ Group calls for expanded multilingualism education in California - The Merced FOCUS • Valley hospitals, clinics brace for financial ‘tsunami’ threatening health care access - The Merced FOCUS • The June 2026 primary election is on the horizon. See who has filed to run in Merced County - The Merced FOCUS • Questions surround a Merced College dean • Mercy Medical Center Merced to seek trauma center designation • A Merced College workplace conflict left students scrambling for classes • Multiple employees filed complaints against a Merced College dean • Register Your Community Event! • Submit Your Opinion Piece! • How long does a visit to a hospital emergency department take? Here’s how Valley hospitals rate - The Merced FOCUS • Merced police are writing more traffic tickets, but crashes are down. • Latino-owned businesses are reshaping downtown Merced • Enrollments falling as final deadline approaches for Covered California • Merced Gardens tenants retain affordable housing for another year • Speed limits at Merced intersections will change later this month • Mexican Consulate comes to Merced to help residents get vital documents - The Merced FOCUS • Merced parents upset as dual language program shutdown looms • Planada residents hear flood relief progress • Merced leaders support 'collaborative review' of proposal to relocate bullet train station - The Merced FOCUS • ‘It takes a village.’ Playhouse Merced leadership is bringing back shows – and a familiar face – after board turnover • Proposed southeast Merced bullet train station coming back before City Council for discussion - The Merced FOCUS • 'Sweeps' targeting unlicensed vendors underway in Merced County • New Merced ordinance encourages safer street crossing • Proposed California budget cuts Medi-Cal, CalFresh benefits for undocumented people amid federal pressure, rising costs - The Merced FOCUS • Rail Authority proposes new Merced bullet train station outside city limits, says it could save $1 billion - The Merced FOCUS • Merced County police chiefs share public safety goals for 2026 • Sheriff says arrest operation in Merced was not ICE • Merced unites for the 29th annual MLK unity march and celebration • New California laws that will impact the Valley in 2026 - The Merced FOCUS • UC Merced is 20 years old. Has it fulfilled its purpose? • Merced residents respond to sheriff's dismissal of sanctuary laws • 50 years in the Valley: The Hmong journey from war to home - The Merced FOCUS • Dos Palos and Livingston libraries to expand hours in January after vote by Merced County supervisors - The Merced FOCUS • Advocates honor Merced's unhoused who died in 2025 • ‘We do have this deep power within us.’ After 50 years of struggle, Valley’s Hmong community charts a new path forward - The Merced FOCUS • For the Valley’s Hmong, assimilation didn’t come without scars • ‘We’ve come such a long way.’ The Valley’s Hmong community at 50: From ashes of war to seeds of hope - The Merced FOCUS • The story of Our Lady of Guadalupe endures, from a hill in Mexico 1531 to Merced County today - The Merced FOCUS • City Council approves location for new fire station in north Merced • Resources for Merced domestic violence survivors • Merced County fills 2025 Christmas calendar with family events • Newly-appointed councilmember ‘ready to serve’ southwest Merced - The Merced FOCUS • Livingston councilman acknowledges helping police officer complete online degree, after letter sparks questions - The Merced FOCUS • Case against former Merced County sheriff sergeant delayed again • Merced’s red-light cameras have been up for months. How many tickets have been issued? • Merced councilmember who resigned grew up along growing city • Merced council revisits code of conduct amid councilman’s posts • Covered California enrollment's open. But without a tax credits extension, will thousands in the Valley be unable to pay? - The Merced FOCUS • State Ag leader meets with Merced groups about farmworker needs • Was Rep. Adam Gray’s vote to end the shutdown a show of courage or betrayal? Valley leaders weigh in - The Merced FOCUS • Big Beautiful Bill fallout could devastate Valley healthcare • Merced councilmember responds to ‘defamatory’ KKK meme shared by council colleague - The Merced FOCUS • 2025 Merced County Veterans Day Parade in photos • Prop. 50 could nudge Merced and Stanislaus counties to the political left, experts say - The Merced FOCUS • Merced City Council District 2 is vacant. How to apply • Merced remembers loved ones during Dia de los Muertos procession • Residents at this Merced apartment complex are banding together to preserve affordable housing - The Merced FOCUS • Valley organizations step up to help vulnerable families, as uncertainty looms over SNAP benefits - The Merced FOCUS • Valley Latinos face higher obesity rates than non-Latinos • Merced College adds law mentorship program • Merced's first Diwali Night brings entertainment to Main Street • After series of fires, Merced plans new rules for vacant properties • Merced artist publishes children's book on Día de los Muertos • Submit Your Community Events • Some Valley students rethinking college plans amid increased immigration enforcement • UC Merced celebrates 20 years open • New Valley-based children’s book celebrates Latino heritage • Merced postal worker turned councilman resigns, thanks residents • No Kings protests in Merced, Modesto draw thousands • Matt Gaetz expected to make Merced CA appearance • California promotes firefighters to work year-round • Opinion: Single-payer would solve Merced County health care costs • Merced’s first Black chamber of commerce takes root • Commemorative flags won't fly in Merced's downtown, leaders say • Mexican-themed supermarket joins Merced mall • Merced County chooses AMR as new ambulance service • This new Merced photo exhibit evolved from a research project • Murder charge dropped against man accused of killing Sophia Mason, 8. The case drew nationwide outrage - The Merced FOCUS • Riggs fights to keep Merced County ambulance contract • Merced leaders to discuss which flags will fly in Bob Hart Square • UC Merced gains ground on 2026 U.S. News Best Colleges report • Merced County supervisors pass $1.12B budget and commit to public budget workshops - The Merced FOCUS • School trustee called to resign after Playhouse Merced meeting • Playhouse Merced staff quit, programs on hold • Valley English learners are making significant progress amid state, federal challenges, says study - The Merced FOCUS • CA bill seeks police training on foreign threats • Canceled shows, explosive meeting at Playhouse Merced • Merced recommends a new passenger airline for its regional airport. Here’s the top choice - The Merced FOCUS • UC Merced students protest layoffs at campus DEI centers • Opinion: Merced calls for certainty on High-Speed Rail funding • UC Merced gets birthday gift of $5 million to build new track and field facility - The Merced FOCUS • This Merced cafe’s internship teaches mastery of specialty coffee • High-Speed Rail Authority holds private meet with Merced leaders • Merced will get $9M for Ag technology job training • Illegal camping tickets surge in Merced under new rules. Is it helping or hurting the unhoused? • ‘We felt blindsided.’ Merced officials confront California High-Speed Rail Authority over controversial report • Who gets to sell in Merced? City eyes new rules for street vendors • New report highlights nearly $10 billion the ag industry contributes to Merced County economy • Merced might be removed from initial California bullet train route to cut costs, report suggests • Clean energy company powers up in south Merced, plans to hire over 1,000 employees • See the proposed congressional map as California asks voters to counter Texas redistricting effort • How the “One Big Beautiful Bill” will cut Merced County health and social service programs • GEO Group job fair in Merced canceled following backlash • Upcoming job fair draws backlash, planned protest in Merced over private detention company • ‘Food heals.’ Merced’s Sweet Roots Kitchen brings leftover crops from farm to fork • "La comida cura": Sweet Roots Kitchen transforma excedentes agrícolas del campo a la mesa • Merced PD recovers Applegate Zoo sign following community tip • Merced County residents protest mass starvation in Gaza. ‘Stop funding genocide’ • Questions linger after beloved superintendent quietly steps down at a Merced County school district • ‘Beer is like music.’ Merced brothers to open downtown taproom that caters to families • themercedfocus.org • Board chosen for newly-formed Merced Tourism Business Improvement District • Vendedores dicen que la represión migratoria está afectando sus ventas en los tianguis del área de Merced • What the Big Beautiful Bill could mean for some hospitals in the San Joaquin Valley • Immigration crackdown is hurting business at Merced-area swap meets, vendors say • Merced County’s new CEO aims to become CA’s 'highest-performing county.' How will he make it happen? • ‘This mini storage does not belong.’ North Merced residents stall proposed development – for now • Merced County supervisors poised to make Hendrickson next CEO. ‘He’s one of us’ • New UC Merced study would help LGBTQ adults quit smoking. How federal policies are affecting progress • Valley districts ‘deeply outraged’ as U.S. Department of Education aims to freeze funds supporting English learners • Mariposa County is a maternity care desert. Doulas are bridging the gap • Merced’s oldest Japanese restaurant saying ‘sayonara’ after four decades in business • ‘We're trying to create differently for ourselves.’ Merced’s LGBTQ+ community looks ahead, while remembering its past • Suicide is among the leading causes of Valley deaths. What’s being done about it? • Mass deportations could cost California over $275 billion, UC Merced report warns • Update: Dos Palos Fire Station 75 to remain open for at least 18 months • Photo Gallery: 'No Kings' rallies held in Merced, Modesto and the Valley • Merced and Modesto areas see massive turnout at ‘No Kings’ protests • Changing directions: Merced set to switch traffic flow on downtown’s Main Street • Does Merced County need an independent commission to draw Board of Supervisors districts? • Merced County’s unhoused population dips nearly 15% in 2025, latest data reveals • This pop-up nightclub is a place of ‘pure happiness’ for Merced’s disabled adults • Merced County will close a third fire station, despite passage of Dos Palos sales tax • Play celebrating the life of civil rights icon and actor Paul Robeson coming to Merced • Merced’s proposed budget ‘maintains status quo’ as labor costs rise • Congressman Adam Gray to Merced College 2025 graduates: ‘The change the Valley needs starts here’ • University of California President Michael V. Drake bids farewell to UC Merced’s largest graduating class yet • Merced County employees get big raises one year after near strike. ‘They wanted to make it right' • 'I'm still waiting.' Some Planada families frustrated by slow flood recovery • Valley senior population growth is outpacing available medical specialists, as federal cuts loom • Merced makes it official and appoints Joyce Dale as the city’s first poet laureate • Affordable housing is bustling in Merced, but smaller cities face barriers. ‘It’s not for lack of trying’ • Merced animal rescue group New Beginnings featured in upcoming documetary • A Merced City Council member approved a multi-million dollar contract for his in-law’s company. Why isn’t it a conflict of interest? • 'Education is transformational.' South Asian women lead these Merced school boards. See their perspectives on leadership • Merced's own super bloom is here. How this grassland reserve protects endangered species • Trump’s immigration tactics obstruct efforts to avert bird flu pandemic, researchers say • From Merced to Sacramento, this pop-up comedy show is stirring up laughs across generations • No guarantees, no protection: Valley undocumented families face an uncertain future • Merced revises flag policy after debate. ‘I just don’t see that as the role of government’ • After downtown Merced’s J&R Tacos closed, this former restaurateur found healing through art • Merced residents join national ‘Hands Off!’ protests against President Trump’s policies • More than half of San Joaquin Valley residents could face ‘devastating’ cuts to health coverage • Costa, Gray propose congressional bill to address critical physician shortage in rural areas • Merced County leaders respond in overdrive after library privatization buzz goes viral • Merced police chief says cost of medical exams for sexual assault survivors 'worth it' • Merced receives Satanic flag request for Bob Hart Square amid flag policy debate • Saddled with debt, some Valley families fear they’ll ‘never pay off’ student loans • 'It's muddy, it's fun.' Cyclists get down and dirty at Merced Gran Fondo Hincapie 2025 • For Valley trans, LGBTQ+ residents, the fear is real but so is the resilience • New subdivision in Hilmar approved despite opposition. ‘I can’t, in good faith, vote against this project’ • 'We’re extremely excited.' Merced kicks off $3.5 million Bob Hart Square downtown renovation • Invisible Yet Essential: Working, paying taxes, and powering the Valley’s economy from the shadows • Sales tax measure to support Dos Palos fire services on track to pass, following special election • Bird flu cases continue to rise across the San Joaquin Valley, along with egg prices • ‘It is a labor of love.’ New K-12 curriculum on Hmong culture takes center stage at UC Merced conference • Proposed Merced County solar and battery project faces resistance amid environmental concerns • ‘Anti-immigrant climate’ pushes populations at high risk for bird flu exposure away from prevention, education • Merced re-examining its flag policy amid questions of free expression • Some Merced City Council members offering cash reward for return of stolen zoo sign • From cartel violence to border walls: One couple’s journey to a new life in the Valley • A pile of dirt sat on a parking lot. These Valley residents made it famous • Merced City Schools board fires top administrator. District provides few details • Black History Month kicks off in Merced. Here are some ways to celebrate in the Valley • Cats displaced in Los Angeles wildfires are being cared for in Merced • UC Merced will begin new semester with fewer lecturers. Here’s what we know