Around Town (6/12/2015)
Merced Sun-Star business awards
The Merced Sun-Star on Wednesday launched a new program aimed to recognize the community’s best businesses and their owners. The Excellence in Business program will grant eight awards to area businesses, and one person in the community will receive the Hall of Fame award. Winners will be announced July 29 in the Sun-Star. To nominate a business or to nominate a person for the Hall of Fame award, click here. The deadline to submit nominations is July 16.
Reservations due for ‘Oliver Twist’
AARP of Merced is organizing a bus trip to Fresno to see a musical adaptation of Charles Dickens’ novel “Oliver Twist.” The trip to Fresno is set for June 28, but the deadline to make a reservation is Friday. The cost is $90 and includes a buffet lunch. For more information or to make a reservation, contact Linda Young at (209) 489-4819, Dorothy Souza at (209) 826-4149 or Glenda Policastro at (209) 723-6254.
Prevent excessive use of force
The African American Catholic Ministry of Merced will host an educational meeting and work to form an action group to prevent excessive use of force by law enforcement. The meeting will include a viewing of the film “Selma,” with guest speakers afterward. The event begins at 2 p.m. Sunday at 671 E. Yosemite Ave. RSVP by email to rhpjack@aol.com or by calling (209) 777-1361.
Saddam Hussein survivor is speaker
The Merced County Republican Women will host a survivor from Saddam Hussein’s regime as speaker at 11:30 a.m. Monday at the Branding Iron. The meeting begins at 11:30a.m. with lunch served at noon. Lydia Kano, born in Baghdad, says she is one of four children who survived Saddam’s regime. With the help of her parents, she came to the U.S. in 1979 and is now an American citizen with a college degree. She will talk about the Islamic State and the genocide of Assyrian Christians. To make reservations, call (209) 812-4398 or (209) 761-0550 by June 11. For more information, call Veronika at (209) 349-3971.
Become an advocate for children
Court Appointed Special Advocates of Merced County will begin a new volunteer advocate training class June 29. CASA is a nonprofit organization that trains volunteers to provide support and advocacy for abused and neglected children in the Merced County foster care system. Call CASA at (209) 722-2272 for information.
Merced-Atwater Tea Party meeting
The Merced-Atwater Tea Party’s regular monthly meeting will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. June 18 at the Atwater Memorial Building, Fifth Street and Broadway Avenue in Atwater. The speaker will be Eric Eisenhammer, founder of the Coalition of Energy Users. He will talk about the California Air Resources Board, fracking, gas taxes and job creation. This event is open to the public.
Los Banos Chamber of Commerce mixer
Chamber members are invited to a mixer from 5:30 to 7 p.m. June 25 at the Toscano RV Center, 2531 E. Pacheco Blvd, Los Banos. Bring a business card to enter a raffle.
If you would like to have an event announced in Around Town, send information to aroundtown@ mercedsunstar.com at least 10 days before the event. Items run according to space available.
This story was originally published June 11, 2015 at 5:12 PM with the headline "Around Town (6/12/2015)."