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By Mike Biddeson Antonio Villaraigosa, the newest member of the UC Merced Board of Trustees, likes to get his hands dirty.  The former Mayor of Los Angeles spoke on “The Future of Civic Engagement” last week as the third presenter in the Chancellor’s speaker series with UC Merced Interim Chancellor Nathan Brostrom.…

In 2019, Merced County and its partners took significant steps forward in several key areas that impact the lives of our residents. As we move into a new…

Community colleges play a vastly under-appreciated role in the life of a town, a region and a state. In California, we understand that better…

The Merced Community College District has placed a $247-million bond (Measure J) on the March 3 ballot because this valued community institution needs financial assistance to build for the future. Measure J could position Merced College to succeed for generations. I currently serve as Dean of Instruction at Merced College, where one of my…

By Mike Biddison Bestselling author Michael Lewis appeared at UC Merced last Friday evening, where he lauded the local university as a…

When I was growing up, before I became a lawyer and started serving on the Merced College Board of Trustees, one of my favorite stories was the…

By Lee Pevsner If the answer is NEVER, you better be 12 years old, or not a citizen of the USA. The turnout in Merced County for the last election which occurred in November 2018 was 61.44 percent. That is pretty good for us. Usually we really suck at voting. “My vote is not going to do any good,” you say. Really? Talk to…

By Mike Biddison To whom much is given, much is required. That’s the code Esmerelda Soria’s mother drilled into her as the girl grew up in Tulare…

Atwater High School (AHS) held its annual Football Banquet to recognize players, coaches and parents on January 6th in the school cafeteria. By…

By MIKE BIDDISON Special to the Times Noor Zamani moved his family to California in 2005, but he hasn’t been able to spend all that time with them. Until just recently, Noor had been traveling around the Afghan countryside on assignment for the U.S. Army. The first thing you notice when approaching the front door of the Zamani…