Community Pulse
What residents are talking about in Merced public meetings, ranked by community engagement.
7 topics in budget
Election information and working-class priorities
Council stipend recommendation
FY 2026-27 budget — tenant protections
HUD Annual Action Plan — Community Action Agency
FY 2026-27 budget — South Merced priorities
HUD Annual Action Plan — Sierra Saving Grace
HUD Annual Action Plan — Harvest Time
In the News
12 articlesRecent coverage of Merced from local and regional media.
Merced County Election Day live updates: Lines remain at some polls into the night
Reading Time: 6 minutesAs of 9 p.m. Tuesday, some polling places were still open around Merced County, with about 70 voters still in line and waiting to cast ballots at UC Merced. A handful of voters are stil...
Nov 4, 2026Merced’s 1% sales tax increase appears on its way to passing. What early numbers show
An election ballot is dropped off at a downtown Fresno voting drop box prior to the November 2022 general election. Early voting opens this week for the March 5, 2024 presidential primary, for which the ballot ...
Nov 4, 2026Bliss, Rojas-Flores have early leads in Merced City Council races
From left, John Bliss, Felipe Rojas-Flores and Shane Smith Two candidates have taken sizable leads in Merced’s contested City Council races.In early unofficial results reported at 8:05 p.m., John Bliss and Fel...
Nov 4, 2026Voting in Merced County? Where to find polling places, ballot drop-off sites
It’s Election Day in California.Merced County voters have until 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3, to cast their ballots in the 2026 general election.Local voters will decide races and statewide ballot measures, with t...
Nov 3, 2026Merced County election results 2026: Live local races and ballot measures
An election worker looks through a tray of ballots sealed in envelopes at the Merced County Elections Warehouse in Merced, Calif., on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. Merced Sun-Star file Merced County voters are decidi...
Nov 3, 2026What to know about ballot issues as you vote in California’s Nov 3. election
California voters face a crowded November ballot packed with questions on taxes, special elections and environmental rules.The ballot has 14 propositions, including the so-called billionaire tax. Other question...
Oct 31, 2026Free Election Day bus fares aim to make voting more accessible in Merced
A bus drives past a flooded section of roadway at the intersection of West 23rd and Canal streets in Merced, Calif., on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023. akuhn@mercedsun-star.com The Bus, Merced County’s regional trans...
Oct 30, 2026Head of California high-speed rail agency resigns amid travel expenses scandal
Summary Ian Choudri, who has led the train agency since 2024, leaves a troublesome legacy marked by budget woes, project delays and various scandals, including questionable taxpayer-funded trips by consultants. This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. The CEO of California’s high-speed rail authority resigned late Wednesday, saying he needs to focus on […]
Oct 29, 2026Merced College paramedic program boosts emergency response. ‘They’re ready to go from day one’
Reading Time: 5 minutes Emergency medical professor Steven Melander knows what it means when someone dials 911.  “There’s no such thing as ‘10-1-1.’ When someone dials 911, they’re out of options. That’s...
Oct 20, 2026Five school bond measures are on Merced County ballots. Here’s what they would fund and what they would cost
Reading Time: 6 minutesVoters in several Merced County school districts will decide Nov. 3 whether to approve five bond measures to fund school construction, repairs and facility upgrades. In Le Grand, Measur...
Oct 14, 2026What’s on your ballot? Merced voter guide to the 2026 midterm election
Find your races, candidates, ballot measures and Merced Sun-Star endorsements for the Nov. 3 election in Merced County.Ballots for the Nov. 3, 2026, midterm elections are arriving in mailboxes across Merced Cou...
Oct 7, 2026Another Jurisdiction Declares Local Emergency Over El Niño
Another Jurisdiction Declares Local Emergency Over El Niño California City News
Oct 5, 2026