By STEVE ROUSSOS & WENDY CALLISTER SPENCER  Special to the Times In a quiet neighborhood in Merced, the sound coming from Maria Vazquez’s living room isn’t just the usual play-time chatter. It’s the sound of a 4-year-old — who hasn’t yet started kindergarten — clearly reading the words “coat,” “nine,” “feet,” and “five.”…

  Merced County will witness a powerful gathering of future leaders as the 11th annual Young Women’s Conference takes over the UC Merced’s campus on…

MUHSD NEWS UPDATE: El Capitan High School ushered in a new era for athletics with the official opening of a new on-campus football stadium on…

You know those old, standard “I Voted” stickers that are included with ballots mailed to voters so it makes them feel special for participating in the democratic process.  Well, Merced County voters are in for a special treat in the upcoming 2026 election cycle.  This year, for the first time ever, Merced County Elections held a…

The University of California, Merced today announced the largest philanthropic gift in its history, an extraordinary new commitment from…

Merced County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Steve Tietjen announced that he will not seek re-election in 2026, and will retire at the end of his current term,…

Kudos to UC Merced Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz for leading an incredible State of the University address on Oct. 22 that provided significant recognition to local community members and leaders, as well as faculty, staff and students, who made the opening of the campus possible back in the fall of 2005.  The Grand Ballroom in the name…

Our Central Valley By STEVE NEWVINE It was a real treat to see the 1957 movie Bombers B-52 on TCM (Turner Movie Classics) recently.   The movie…

Merced Mayor Matt Serratto showed up at the Central Valley Training Center in Merced on June 27 to watch a talent show — “CVTC has Talent” — and celebrate new…