Merced County Times Newspaper
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Court ruling expands scholarships for students across Merced County

By BRIANNA VACCARI Central Valley Journalism Collaborative A scholarship fund connected to one of Merced County’s earliest families is being expanded to benefit more students from across the county who pursue higher education. Since its inception in 1976, the Virginia Smith Trust scholarship has provided $6 million to 3,700 students in the…

New Mercy CEO embraces a community in need of services

Dale Johns was serving as the CEO for the largest community hospital in Northeastern Pennsylvania when he first heard about the city of Merced, about a year ago. Johns was looking for a new opportunity, somewhat spiritual in nature, after leading Wilkes-Barre General throughout the COVID pandemic, and working to improve the hospital’s scores in…