Doane Yawger 12 posts 0 comments

One of the many benefits of summer is its time for car shows. We've been blessed with a number of fine showings of late. It's almost an "embarrassment of riches" but there's plenty to see and do now in the vintage vehicle realm. We'll begin with Atwater, then take in a delightful Thursday night cruise-in at a winery on the outskirts of…

Modesto seems to be a mecca for old cars, especially during a long series of American Graffiti celebrations this month. Such was the case for the recent…

Car enthusiasts all have their favorite vehicles, myself included. I have loved the 1956 Mercury since I first spotted it 63 years ago. The Merc gets…

Sometimes custom car builders, or even the auto factories, get it wrong in their designs, to my way of thinking. In perusing the latest street rod magazine issue the other day, I came upon coverage of a 1955 Ford Crown Victoria street machine. It's a pretty striking car with lots of innovation and craftsmanship — except for one glaring flaw.…

Auto mechanics are amazing people. I am awed by the knowledge and skills mechanics have in making our cars run right. Cars have always been intricate and…

One of the benefits of the cable television service I receive is the tuner, where I can mute the sound from those detestable commercials. I routinely…

The local Model A car club known as the Gateway A’s recently hosted more than 250 Model A enthusiasts from all over California for a two-day event in the Merced area. Among their pit stops was a visit to UC Merced for a tour of the modern research campus. As seen in this photograph by Jim Cunningham of Le Grand, the club members didn’t have a…

They are supposed to be friends, confidants and people who watch out for the best interests of children going through the juvenile court system. Fourteen…

When someone is homebound, possibly with health, personal or finance issues, long periods of time may go by without that individual having contact with…

Becky Hagen grew up in a law enforcement family. Her father was a California Highway Patrol officer and her mother was a Riverside County sheriff's deputy. So it's only natural Hagen, 41, would gravitate to a law enforcement career. Last January, Captain Hagen became the commander of the Merced Area Office of the CHP, the first female to attain…