Why has there been no mention in quite some time of the 2006 murders of Bill and Lena Chapman? It is the most horrific crime ever committed in Merced. There are a lot of citizens still waiting for answers. It's as if it were purposely silenced and cold cased.
Most immigrants come to our country seeking employment and a better life for their families. Our economy depends on their labor, but at the same time the immigration quotas for their visas are far below the demand for the work they are willing to do. Over the years, many employers have benefited from these low immigration quotas. With a large number of undocumented immigrants, they have a large supply of cheap labor. We read so much about how the immigrants have come here illegally, but little has been said about how many employers have broken the law by hiring and paying them below the minimum wage and keeping them in unsafe working conditions.
It is reassuring, as well as rewarding, to know that these students are nothing like the portrait painted by the media of today's young people. They were all dressed for success and modeled it as well.
An open letter to the Merced City School District bus drivers: What message were you trying to send when 11 of you called in sick on Friday?
Your choice of the political cartoon in the April 25th edition was reprehensible in light of what it says about President Bush and what it doesn't say about Obama and his use of drones, especially since he uses and can continue to use them to kill U.S. citizens and that Obama chose to continue and expand war involvement that takes military lives.
Too bad they gutted the Merced Theatre and destroyed the irreplaceable handmade woodwork when they made it a multiplex. People tried saving some stuff from the Dumpster then, but we were too late. I never went back to that theater after they destroyed it. I can’t believe they think it is now restored to original. It's nice but can never be restored to original, the carpenters who built it are all dead now. The only thing original now is the basic layout of the building and a few pieces of furniture.
I am very disappointed in the Merced SPCA. My daughter reached out to them when one of her dogs was very sick and she couldn't afford the vet bill and they were unwilling to help her.
Too bad they gutted the Merced Theatre and destroyed the irreplaceable handmade woodwork when they made it a multiplex.
I am very disappointed in the Merced SPCA. My daughter reached out to them when one of her dogs was very sick and she couldn't afford the vet bill and they were unwilling to help her.
It may behoove anyone looking for a positive lifestyle change to know that May is National Bike Month. No doubt, bicycling, a form of low-impact exercise, is excellent for infusing that much-needed element of physical activity in each individual's daily regime.
This is an open letter to the congenial idiot who shone his spotlight directly in my rearview mirror as he tailgated my vehicle at 9:10 p.m. Wednesday night on West North Bear Creek as I was eastbound in the block between M Street and G Street. He was obviously annoyed, because I was going 25 mph in a 35 mph zone.
A similar system may prove beneficial here, both to reduce the litter problem they present, as well as to reduce the irritation of carts left out randomly in parking lots, rolling into parked cars, blocking parking spaces, etc. In the context of our "poor" community, this idea will no doubt be dismissed as visionary, at best.
Strike one, Jeff, was your embarrassing antics as you screamed and stomped during a council meeting over "secret numbers." The mayor had to meet with you about your childish behavior.
Merced. It's where I grew up, and where I've chosen to raise my family. It's where I work, worship, and do life. Growing up, we used to refer to it as "MerDead" and couldn't wait to get out. I got out, and came back. I love Merced!
Abel Maldonado is the only viable candidate the Republican Party has to recoup the governorship. With a Maldonado candidacy comes an opportunity for the GOP to expand its Latino base in a meaningful way.
Why did Atwater allow the Hells Angels motorcycle gang to set up a clubhouse in a residential neighborhood? This club is known for violent activities. There are many children living nearby. Was it OK'd because it is a Hispanic area? Would it have been OK if a Norteño or other Mexican gang had set up a clubhouse there and had "meetings" out in the open with a hundred or more members parading around the street? I don’t think so.
The second annual Time to Fly Kite Festival hosted by Knights of Columbus and the city of Livingston was a great success. By the end of the day, we had counted a crowd of over 5,000 from around the valley and the state. We want to thank all volunteers who came out to give a hand at the greatest family event in the valley! We want to thank the Kiwanis Club of Merced and Merced High School Kiwanis who manned the kite building workshops all day; and the Livingston High Hispanic Youth Leadership Club and the city of Livingston Recreation Department who helped in everything from crowd control to picking up trash. We also want to thank the Giant Kite Flyers who came from different places, including the Bay Area, Lathrop, Merced, Manteca and Bakersfield. Thank you to the entertainment who came from as far away as UC Davis, all vendors and sponsors, and of course thanks to all the families who came out to enjoy this event. Thanks again for your support!
Waste editor: "Waste,not want not!" If I heard it once while growing up, I heard it a thousand times. I applaud the efforts of UC Merced in addressing the issue of food waste in this country.
Our family's ranching and farming operation is near the Latorraca Correctional Facility. I can appreciate the difficulties in running the facility. However, it is inexcusable when those who live by the jail are not contacted by correction officials after an escape.
In response to a recent letter, "Gun laws don't work" (April 12), the writer states that new gun laws being proposed by "simpleton do-gooders" and "inane legislators" are of no use in curbing criminal gun violence in America. The letter continues that violence has been glorified in movies, video games, etc., that permeates our society -- which is true -- but that new gun laws are not the answer. I disagree.
Regarding your editorial titled “Foes should get on track with rail plan.” As a nonnative Mercedian I find the opposition to a rail project particularly curious, as this community would not exist were it not for rail. I found this piece of Merced historical trivia that your readers may enjoy and could serve as perspective.
The lawsuit recently rejected by the California Supreme Court challenging the Wal-Mart distribution center environmental impact report is a blessing. Since the court has rejected the appeal, Merced finds itself to be in a much stronger position to set high standards for all new industry.
Social Security is funded entirely by the Social Security payroll tax which is deposited into the Social Security Trust Fund from which benefits are paid. President Barack Obama's and the Republicans desire to balance the budget by cutting Social Security benefits through a chained consumer price index is a cynical exploitation of Americans' concerns about the budget.
Illegal immigrants are a huge drain on our economy. Because of their lack of health insurance, they go to the hospitals with their illnesses. They cost us uncounted amounts of money for welfare, food stamps and bilingual services.
Merced Playhouse opened “Urinetown: The Musical” this weekend and I just have to say that this show knocked me out of my seat.
The problem of crime and law enforcement dealing with crime must include supporting legislation and financial resources to support increased efforts to fight crime.
In an added response to the comment that the military is some form of welfare program, I'm sure the woman didn't really mean it the way it sounded even though there are some people whom I witnessed firsthand who treated being in the military as if it were some sort of handout.
Every individual has the same rights, as long as they don't infringe on the rights of others. The people enacting these policies, and the law enforcement officers carrying them out, have overstepped their authority. Officers need to uphold their oaths and disobey these unlawful orders. If legislators pass a bill that violates individual rights, then officers have a duty to refuse to enforce it. Officers, we're all in the same boat. If your boss can convince you to strip law-abiding individuals of certain rights, then they can use that same rationale against you later on down the road.
Your articles pertaining to dairies have opened some people's eyes. For the people living in the Planada community, they have had their eyes as well as their noses wide open.
