Along Fern Avenue in the Tower District, businesses are boarded up, some lined with graffiti. There’s trash piled in the doorways. But on this sunny Saturday afternoon, volunteers move brooms along the sidewalk and sweep the debris into boxes. There’s an upbeat feeling about their work. One of the cleaning …
Read More »Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation’s Push For Federal Recognition Amid The Pandemic
Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada foothills are home to the Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation, but the tribe has been enmeshed in a decades-long battle for recognition by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. To learn more about the current status of that fight, and how it’s been shaped by COVID-19, Valley …
Read More »Fresno County School Districts Close Temporarily Amid Coronavirus Concerns
Three Valley districts have made the decision to close their schools starting Monday until April 13: Fresno, Clovis and Central Unified. They’re the latest across the state to announce a blanket closure of schools due to coronavirus concerns. In a press conference Friday, Fresno Unified Superintendent Bob Nelson said preserving …
Read More »Fresno School Districts Close Temporarily Amid Coronavirus Concerns
Two Valley districts have made the decision to close their schools starting Monday until April 13: Fresno and Central Unified. They’re the latest across the state to announce a blanket closure of schools due to coronavirus concerns. In a press conference Friday, Fresno Unified Superintendent Bob Nelson said preserving the …
Read More »Amid Teacher Salary Negotiations, Madera Unified Struggles With Overcrowding, Limited Resources
Representatives from Madera Unified School District, just north of Fresno, met on Monday to discuss a new offer regarding salaries and health benefits. If needs aren’t met, the teachers’ union has said it could be one step closer to a strike, following in the footsteps of Los Angeles and Oakland …
Read More »Amid Questions, High-Speed Rail Examines New Bakersfield Route, Station Site
If the leaders of California’s High-Speed Rail Authority are to be believed, by 2029 Bakersfield residents will be able to hop on a bullet train bound for LA’s Union Station or San Francisco’s Transbay Terminal. That’s if all goes according to plan, for a project that still doesn’t have enough …
Read More »Local Salvadorans Brace For Uncertainty Amid White House Decision
On Monday, the Trump Administration announced that natives of El Salvador will soon lose their temporary protected status in the U.S. The Department of Homeland Security says that in September of 2019, 200,000 Salvadorans in the U.S. will lose protection from deportation. That status was originally designated in 2001, under …
Read More »Amid Homeless Concerns, Brandau Wants Fresno To Ban Camping
A Fresno City Councilmember has a new idea on dealing with the city’s homeless population – a law that would ban camping in the city. Councilmember Steve Brandau is set to take the proposed ordinance before the city council next Thursday. If adopted, the law would ban camping on both …
Read More »Sheriff’s office scrambles to staff Castle fireworks show amid deputy shortage
How bad is the deputy shortage in Merced County? It’s so bad that the sheriff himself and his top command staff from the Merced County Sheriff’s Office will work security … Click to Continue »
Read More »Trump preparing to pull US from Paris climate accord, amid last-minute lobbying
President Donald Trump hasn’t made a final decision on whether the U.S. will quit the Paris Accord on climate change, but White House officials indicated Wednesday that he was headed … Click to Continue »
Read More »Merced County supervisors thank emergency teams for efforts to assist amid flooding
The Merced County Board of Supervisors agreed Tuesday to spend $ 20,000 to help cover expenses related to ongoing flooding and commended local response teams for their efforts to mitigate damage … Click to Continue »
Read More »MID releases stormwater to recharge groundwater sapped amid drought
January’s storms have filled Lake McClure past its historical average, prompting water releases to help replenish groundwater, the Merced Irrigation District reported. Lake McClure was about 73 percent of capacity … Click to Continue »
Read More »Home prices climbing amid few available spaces
Merced home prices continue to rise thanks to a lack of houses on the market and the city’s room for growth after several years without new homes, according to local real estate agents. … Click to Continue »
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