La Grange is a small, local unincorporated community loaded with history. Nestled in the foothills of the Sierras lies this historic town. This one-time county seat glories in its history of the past and is working hard to preserve it for the present and future. Located in rural Stanislaus County along the Tuolumne River, it has a…

When I was 12, I was in the Cub Scouts.  Wasn't able to advance to Boy Scouts, but I remember one of their mottos was "Always be prepared.” This advice…

Do you have a fire alarm in your  house? Undoubtedly. Very important to have in any structure. The alarm goes off, you vacate the premises immediately.…

Some old car fanciers, myself included, are Lost in the Fifties as the pundits say. In the vintage vehicle realm, the "Good Old Days" start about 1949 and stretch through the early 1970s period. In going through my pile of automotive calendars recently, I came across a real gem from about four years ago. The Merced County Historical…

If you don't like what is going on in our town, don't just sit back and complain — get involved. The city, and we mean the Merced City Council as well as…

There is a saying, “People tend to accumulate as much stuff as they have room for," and such is the case down here in Mexico, where there are literally…

By SHANE SMITH Sometime soon, the flood waters racing down Bear Creek will subside, and life will return to normal for many of us living in Merced. That will not be true for everyone. Our neighbors who were already struggling to maintain a safe place to live may be left further behind when receding flood waters reveal homes that have been…

There was a time when flooding was common place here and G Street was G Grade — built high enough to stop the water overflowing from Bear Creek. Bear…

There is such a thing as being "Black Listed" and the City of Merced is close to being on the list of such cities. The city needs a new police chief.…

There was a reason why I bought the Rag Doll — a 29-foot wood sailboat in the 1990s. God, in his infinite wisdom, has just let me know. The boat, originally built in Sweden in 1959, was transported to the United States by men whose ancestors must have been Vikings. The Rag Doll was solid, built out of African Mahogany over a Birch wood…