I am not trying to give unfair business advantage to one person, or say anything about anyone anywhere who repairs watches. I call him Mr. Ortega. That would be what I would call him even if I knew his first name. Ortega’s Watch Repair is located at 741 W. Main Street, in downtown Merced across from McAuley Motors (free plug).…

In the early 1970s in Merced County, there were two murder cases in which the defendants were arrested for murder “without a body.” At the time, a trial…

Editor’s note: Each year, FFA chapters around the country celebrate National FFA Week. It’s a time to share what FFA is and the impact it has on members…

We’re free! My wife and I both have received two doses of COVID-19, thanks to local volunteer, Dr. Tiwa. We can toss the masks, pop in the car, and go crazy, right? No. Wrong. Nothing much has really changed. We are still in the purple tier. When people are fully vaccinated (a week or two after the second dose), but most others aren’t…

In the late 1950s and into the 1960s American automakers put out some innovative, groundbreaking cars. They were vastly different from anything…

When I am fortunate enough to travel to Washington, D.C., I always try to find time visit the many monuments and memorials in and around the capitol. It’s…

I spend almost every nice morning rowing my boat around beautiful Conception Bay, or Bahía Concepción, as it is known in Mexico, on the Gulf of California. For the last few trips, Sport, my Mexican rescue dog, just jumped right into the boat. We went over to a secluded beach and he ran up and down. The other day, I was taking him to the…

Editor’s Note: The following was first published on Feb. 8 as a guest commentary by the website CalMatters. It was sent in by a “group of elected state…

There are those who may recall the Rag Doll — the Ghost Ship of Lake Yosemite. Years ago, there was a 1959, all-wood, Halberg 25 sailboat from Sweden…

By JUAN SÁNCHEZ MUÑOZ When I was named UC Merced’s fourth chancellor in mid 2020, I knew the story of this great university — the battle for its creation here in the San Joaquin Valley, which engaged so many local business and civic leaders; the meteoric rise in national recognition; the remarkably unique public-private partnership that…